Blizzard has shot down a rumour that Overwatch 2's PvE was gutted due to a recently enforced and controversial policy change.
Executive producer Jared Neuss explains on Twitter that Blizzard's directive to staffers to return to the office for work isn't behind the decision to refocus Overwatch 2's PvE offering. Rather, the reason is somewhat less dramatic.
"Managing PvE and PvP development simultaneously has been a challenge for the team for years," he shares. "It's a less exciting headline, but it's reality."
Neuss goes on to say that more detail will be offered in his next Director's Take blog post. "I hope that the additional context can shed some light on why we made this decision," he adds.
While some have accepted the decision, others still have frustrations to vent. One fan says that "no matter how much context you give," no one will be satisfied. That's because Overwatch had "no content for three years" regarding PvE, with the promised campaign of Overwatch 2 being the light at the end of the tunnel.
"I definitely don't expect anyone who is upset to be satisfied," Neuss replies. "That doesn't mean they don't deserve more of an explanation, though."
Rumours began to swirl online that Blizzard calling workers back to the office had a detrimental effect on Overwatch 2's continued development, with one popular Twitter user citing someone from the studio as their source. It's worth noting, however, that the thread has been pulled following Neuss' comments, with an explanation put in its place.
Word of Blizzard's return-to-work policy initially hit the headlines in February of this year, with employees taking to Twitter to vent about the news. It's reportedly far from a popular decision, with GameDeveloper reporting that a subsequent Q&A with Blizzard leadership only left developers "fuming."
The news that Overwatch 2 isn't getting a full-fat campaign, meanwhile, was more recent. Rather than getting the "hero mode" with open-ended progression and talent systems previously spoken about, Overwatch 2 will not feature regular "co-op gameplay and co-op experiences" that'll form part of the live-service package.
With PvE gutted, why did we need Overwatch 2 in the first place?
