'Overwatch 2' devs talk about giving heroes new look for the sequel

BlizzCon 2019 has come and gone with new games to show slated for 2020. "Diablo IV" made its debut with a great reception from fans despite being leaked a week ahead before the event. Another game that was also preemptively revealed was "Overwatch 2," which a reliable insider described in intimate detail before Blizzard Entertainment took the covers off. Nevertheless, players who love the team-based, online-only gameplay were happy to see some new mechanics and game modes included. However, developers want gamers to likewise know that it made some changes to the visuals.

Overall, the sequel is somewhat visually superior to the original, but many failed to notice the new character designs. This is understandable given the animated short used for its introduction only showcased a few characters with noticeable differences from their previous models. In the "Zero Hour" cinematic footage, the most noticeable was on Genji, who now sports a more casual look. Then there's Reinhardt with a full beard and longer hair.

A closer look at Mei shows new gear, while Winston, Mercy and Tracer come with minimal tweaks to their existing wardrobe. As detailed by an article from GameRant, "Overwatch 2" assistant game director Aaron Keller shared some interesting tidbits via the PlayStation Blog. He points to Lucio as his example, who now dons a new costume. He describes the latest aesthetic as "dynamic" which refers to the visual effects the developers cooked up

"Pay special attention to gameplay footage of his suit changing between his Speed song and Healing song," said Keller. Moreover, he is encouraging fans that there are "plenty more cool changes to each of our heroes in the roster." On top of tweaking the appearances of each hero, Blizzard Entertainment is likewise more characters to the game.

So far, the only one confirmed is Sojourn, while Echo – although showing up in the trailer – is rumoured to be another addition. "Overwatch 2" game director Jeff Kaplan wanted fans to know that all of the new characters, maps, gameplay balances, and cosmetic items will be available as well for players who own the original. On the other hand, the PVE content is reportedly exclusive to the sequel only.