Blizzard is making an exciting move by bringing a selection of its PC games to Steam, starting with Overwatch 2. The highly anticipated free-to-play team-based shooter will be available on Valve’s gaming client on August 10. This decision is believed to be a response to Blizzard’s impending acquisition by Microsoft and the declining player engagement the game has experienced in recent times. Currently, the Windows PC version of Overwatch 2 and other games from Blizzard can only be accessed through its Battle.net launcher. However, this has been a point of contention for many PC gamers who prefer the convenience of having all their games on a single platform and dislike the hassle of switching between launchers. The Steam version of Overwatch 2 will bring added benefits such as unlockable achievements and cross-platform multiplayer.
In a blog post, Mike Ybarra, the President of Blizzard Entertainment, expressed the company’s commitment to listening to players and surpassing their expectations. He stated, “While Battle.net remains a priority for us now and in the future, we have heard players express a desire to have the choice of Steam for a selection of our games, and we are pleased to fulfill that request, starting with Overwatch 2 on August 10th. We are excited to collaborate with Valve to make this happen.” Although players will still need to link their Battle.net accounts to Steam, there is no longer a necessity to keep the former launcher installed on their systems. Responding to a tweet, Ybarra confirmed that Overwatch 2 will launch directly through Steam, emphasizing that this decision was made after careful consideration and taking player feedback into account.
Battle.net has been in existence since 1996, predating Valve’s Steam. Despite competition from platforms like Origin (now known as the EA App) and the Epic Games Store, Battle.net has managed to retain its user base. While it may be more convenient for all PC games to be available on Steam, there are reasons why certain publishers choose to establish their own gaming clients. This is due to the fact that for every game sold on Steam, Valve takes a 30% cut as a hosting fee, which effectively reduces piracy, particularly for indie developers. However, by creating their own platform like EA and Blizzard, publishers can maintain all profits from game sales and in-game purchases. Over time, publishers have become more flexible in their approach, as evidenced by EA making their games simultaneously available on Steam.
The arrival of Overwatch 2 on Steam coincides with the release of its first set of story missions, called ‘Invasion,’ as part of the season 6 content. These missions introduce new co-op events that advance the overarching story. The bundle, priced at $15, grants new players permanent access to the damage-based hero Sojourn. This update comes after Blizzard’s announcement in May that they had decided to cancel the highly anticipated PvE story mode of Overwatch 2. As of now, there is no information regarding which other Blizzard games will be making their way to Steam, but fans hope that the Diablo games will follow suit. Additionally, there is no news regarding support for the Steam Deck.
Get ready, as Overwatch 2 is set to launch on Steam on August 10.
Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
