Blizzard confirms Overwatch 1 will shut down for good on October 2

With Overwatch 2’s October 4 launch drawing nearer, Blizzard has introduced that Overwatch 1 will conclude the identical week as its sequel launches. Per Eurogamer, Blizzard’s unique hero shooter will finish service for good on October 2. 

“Roughly a day earlier than Overwatch 2 launches, we will be taking down the Overwatch 1 servers,” mentioned Blizzard’s product supervisor Jon Spector. “So meaning, as a sensible level, that October 2 actually is the final day to go in and play Overwatch 1.” 

Blizzard introduced that Overwatch 1 could be phased out again in June, and mentioned the unique sport would fuse with its successor a lot sooner than that. The studio has been taking gradual steps to sundown the sport; gamers can not purchase in-game loot boxes, for instance, and the in-game currency from the primary title will switch over to the sequel. 

Those that have already got Overwatch 1 on their system will get Overwatch 2 as an replace, whereas model new gamers will see the latter sport as a model new title to obtain.

The unique Overwatch launched in 2016, changing into a important and commercial juggernaut. Throughout its six-year lifespan, the sport has improved player behavior, added new heroes, and had loads of information surrounding its loot box-focused store. 

Spector added that present gamers will be capable to pre-download Overwatch 2, and that Blizzard will likely be doing “different issues” to get gamers prepared for the sequel. “We’ll share a type of launch guidelines with gamers forward of issues in order that [players] have a clean expertise getting in on 4th October, once we launch.”

Overwatch 2, in contrast to its predecessor, will likely be a free-to-play expertise with a seasonal launch mannequin and cross-progression performance. You may learn in regards to the modifications that include going free-to-play, and the way it pertains to post-launch Heroes, here.