Blizzard Leisure is bringing its PC video games to Steam, beginning with the discharge of Overwatch 2 on Valve’s digital storefront on Aug. 10, Blizzard introduced Wednesday.
The Home windows PC model of Overwatch 2, like a lot of Blizzard’s PC video games, is presently solely obtainable by means of Battle.web. However with Microsoft’s impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard and declining participant engagement within the sport, the maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch seems to be altering its technique.
Blizzard says it can carry “a variety” of its video games to Steam, however didn’t specify which titles past Overwatch 2 will make the leap from Battle.web. (Just a few traditional Blizzard video games, together with the unique Diablo and the primary two Warcraft video games, can be found by means of GOG.com.)
The acceptance of Steam as a platform for Blizzard’s video games is a part of the studio’s evolution, the corporate mentioned in a weblog submit. “[O]ne of the concepts pushing us ahead is assembly gamers around the globe the place they’re, and making our video games as simple as attainable to entry and play,” the corporate mentioned. “We need to give everybody an opportunity to expertise our universes with previous buddies whereas making new ones, regardless of how they select to play.”
In its announcement, Blizzard mentioned it’s not shifting away from Battle.web. However, it defined, “as we’ve developed, the business has developed too — gaming is now not only for particular communities because it was when Battle.web launched over 20 years in the past, gaming is for everybody–and although we stay dedicated to repeatedly investing in and supporting Battle.web, we need to break down the limitations to make it simpler for gamers in every single place to search out and luxuriate in our video games.”
“It’s our objective at Blizzard to hearken to gamers and attempt to exceed their expectations in the whole lot we do,” mentioned Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Leisure, in an announcement. “Whereas Battle.web stays a precedence for us now and into the long run, we’ve heard gamers need the selection of Steam for a collection of our video games, beginning with Overwatch 2 […]. We’re completely happy to work with Valve to make that occur.”
“Players and builders are each going to learn from Overwatch 2 coming to Steam,” mentioned Gabe Newell, Valve’s president, in an announcement. “Players could have one other platform the place they’ll play a beloved sport that makes use of the capabilities of Steam, and builders will profit from the consequences of getting the proficient crew at Blizzard serving to us evolve our supported options and performance for Overwatch 2.”
Overwatch 2, a free-to-play, team-based shooter, “is the right title for Blizzard’s debut on the platform,” Blizzard says. Steam’s broad attain — 132 million month-to-month energetic customers in 2021, based on Valve — will expose many extra gamers to Overwatch 2, which is getting a brand new season, new hero, new PvE missions, and new core PvP sport mode on Aug. 10.
Blizzard says that gamers on Steam will nonetheless want a Battle.web account related to Overwatch 2 to play the sport. The Steam model will assist Steam achievements and buddies lists, however Blizzard didn’t announce Steam Deck assist. Overwatch 2 can now be wishlisted by means of Steam.
As for Blizzard’s future plans for different sport releases on Steam, the corporate mentioned it will likely be “sharing extra about potential different video games coming to the platform when the time is true.”
