Overwatch 2 PvE isn’t canceled, but Blizzard has a lot to prove

pcgamesn.com:

The Overwatch 2 PvE mode faces a crisis of identity today as headlines of ‘Overwatch 2 PvE canceled’ ring around the internet, reaching even beyond the typical circles inhabited by Blizzard’s multiplayer game. That’s despite Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller saying developer Team 4 is “really committed to the PvE side of the game and delivering that story.” So what’s happened?

The short answer is that the previously detailed replayable Overwatch 2 campaign announced at BlizzCon 2019, with its full Hero Missions and talent trees that would give all your favorite Overwatch 2 characters completely new spins on their abilities, has been scrapped. Probably aware of the magnitude of this news, Blizzard chose to announce this in the most low-key way possible during the back half of a livestream talking about the game’s 2023 roadmap and future updates.

“With everything we’ve learned about what it takes to operate this game at the level you deserve, it’s clear that we can’t deliver on that original vision for PvE that was shown in 2019.” That’s the bombshell, slid out by executive producer Jared Neuss over half an hour into a developer update stream. Neuss and Keller go on to walk through some of the upcoming plans for the next two seasons, sharing a roadmap image for the future.

In retrospect, this approach was almost certainly a mistake. By attempting to sweep this news under the rug somewhat, rather than confronting it head-on, Blizzard left the message in charge of its community. That message was delivered loud and clear – the Overwatch 2 PvE mode we were promised, indeed the most prominent selling point for the game’s transition to Overwatch 2, is dead.

That’s not to say there won’t be PvE content coming, however. With