The annual fair of video game giant Blizzard, BlizzCon 2021, starts next week. Before the fair begins, news is emerging: The online shooter Overwatch (2016) could become a free-to-play title after 5 years. Blizzard would then practically give away the shooter for free. This is supported by statements from Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick and the overall state of the game.
This could be the announcement: Blizzard might announce at the opening speech of BlizzCon 2021 that the online shooter Overwatch will be available for free going forward on all platforms – including PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
When will we find out if this is true? On Friday, February 19th, sometime after 11 PM. Then the “BlizzConline” starts.
If the free-to-play announcement for Overwatch comes, it will likely be during the opening ceremony speech.
What does Overwatch cost at the moment? Currently, the title is heavily discounted on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with the Legendary Edition costing around €20. The game is 67% off on PS4 and Xbox One and 50% off on PC.
The offer to buy Overwatch for €20 ends in the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store just before BlizzCon.
However, the online shooter generally costs up to €60 for the consoles. On Nintendo Switch, the Legendary Edition of Overwatch still costs nearly €40, although the game is available from retailers like MediaMarkt for €20.
“Growing the community beyond the business model”
Reasons why Overwatch might become free-to-play: The speculation arises from a new statement from Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick, which came from a call with investors on February 4th. Kotick stated that Activision Blizzard wants to transfer the Call of Duty model to the game franchises of Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch.
It appears to be about expanding the offerings of the individual game franchises. Call of Duty relies not only on an annual premium title but also on a free-to-play game (Warzone) and a mobile game. Specifically regarding Overwatch, Kotick said:
“For Overwatch, we plan not only to reinvigorate the game franchise for the existing community with the launch of Overwatch 2, but we also want to significantly grow the community through the business model and growth initiatives on all platforms.”
Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard CEO
If you want to grow the player base through the business model, moving to a free-to-play model seems logical. Kotick did not directly announce converting Overwatch into a free-to-play game, but it follows logically from his statement.
The next question is when to announce a move to free-to-play: Here, BlizzCon seems like the logical venue. When something big is announced for a Blizzard game, it’s usually there.
7 Reasons Overwatch Might Become Free-to-Play
Further support for the rumor:
- It has been hinted before – The idea of moving more towards free-to-play has been brewing for a long time. As early as May 2019, Activision Blizzard indicated strongly in their business report towards free-to-play
- Experience – With Call of Duty: Warzone, Activision Blizzard has gained excellent experience with a free-to-play title, which provided a significant business boost. The player numbers for Call of Duty: Warzone are skyrocketing.
- Blizzard needs a major announcement – They appear to have little else significant to announce at BlizzCon, making a free-to-play move the biggest news.
- Impulse for a stagnant game – Overwatch seems to be dormant at the moment, with little activity. Recently, Star Wars Battlefront 2 demonstrated that such a free-to-play move can suddenly open up millions of new players.
- Blizzard would still earn money – Overwatch would still generate revenue as a free-to-play title: the loot boxes with skins and cosmetic items have sold excellently in the past. Special events have consistently led to record revenues for Overwatch: But this only works if the game remains highly frequented.
- E-sports are struggling – Overwatch was a popular shooter until 2018 and had a booming e-sports scene, which Blizzard hoped to capitalize on. However, since 2018 and the hype around Fortnite, that seems to be dwindling for Overwatch. Some professionals have switched to Valorant, including the star Sinatraa. Blizzard needs to create more attraction here.
- Preparing the ground for the future – A move to free-to-play would be a good preparation for Overwatch 2: Blizzard could then offer that at full price upon release in 2022 or later.
It is not yet confirmed that Overwatch will actually become free-to-play, but currently, many signs point to this being the big announcement at BlizzCon 2021.
Blizzard has several precedents for such an action: ArenaNet decided in 2015, after 3 years, to offer the base game of the MMORPG Guild Wars 2 for free – with the idea of selling the expansion “Heart of Thorns” for a fee. Blizzard could pursue a similar plan with Overwatch and Overwatch 2.
Our Blizzard expert Cortyn has compiled what else we can expect from BlizzConline 2021:
