Blizzard Entertainment is dropping the '2' from Overwatch 2, rebranding it simply as Overwatch to mark a new story-driven era. The change coincides with the launch of Season 1 on February 10, 2026, introducing five new heroes and kicking off a year-long narrative arc called The Reign of Talon. This revamp includes 10 new heroes planned for 2026 and a restructured seasonal rollout focused on linear storytelling.
Blizzard's hero shooter Overwatch is undergoing a significant transformation as it celebrates its 10-year anniversary. On February 10, 2026, the game will launch Season 1 under the banner of a fully connected annual storyline titled The Reign of Talon, spanning Seasons 1 through 6. This marks the first time Overwatch has implemented such a cohesive narrative, with all worldbuilding, events, hero launches, and art direction centered on Talon's global rise.
The update introduces five new heroes at launch, the first time the game has debuted that many simultaneously, with a total of 10 heroes slated for release across 2026. Among them is Jetpack Cat, a support hero described as a flying feline with endless flight capabilities. She can tether to opt-in allies to fly them around the battlefield, heal them, and pester enemies, while her ultimate allows dragging foes off maps or out of positions. Another newcomer, Anran, is a fire-wielding damage hero and sister to the water-bending support Wuyang. However, her in-game model has sparked fan backlash for altering her original sharper features to a rounder face resembling Kiriko and Juno, contributing to ongoing discussions about character design homogeneity in Overwatch.
The revamp also restructures the seasonal rollout to prioritize lore and linear storytelling. Blizzard president Johanna Faries emphasized a developer-led approach to technology, including a centralized AI governance team to ensure responsible use that aligns with company values. Yet, Overwatch game director Aaron Keller stated the team prefers a 'handcrafted universe' and has no plans for AI-generated content, saying, 'We don’t want to put AI-generated content out in front of players.' This stance comes amid Microsoft’s push for AI following its 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard and recent unionization efforts by Blizzard teams concerned about AI replacing artists.
An early access period for some heroes, like Anran, began prior to launch, allowing players to test them amid the virtual spotlight presentation.
