Though it originally seemed that Overwatch 2 would serve as a glorified expansion of sorts, it’s clear now that that couldn’t be further from the case. The art direction for Overwatch 2’s version of the Big Apple leans heavily into art deco stylings from the 1920s and 1950s.

The second new map was based on New York City, and features familiar landmarks such as Grand Central Station and Broadway. Welcome to Rome, a new map coming to Overwatch 2. “It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of environment art that I think we have made for the entire game and it absolutely took my breath away.” First was the stunning Rome map, featuring a unique blend of old and new, with the classic Roman architecture accented by high-tech structures and statues. The presentation began with a fleeting look at two gorgeous new locales for players to battle in. What we received, however, was more akin to a lengthy developer diary, with the minds behind the game pouring their hearts out and painting a lofty vision for the final product. I went into the presentation expecting a run-of-the-mill panel with devs talking shop and maybe showing off some character rigs and concept art. The Overwatch 2 portion of BlizzConline has officially come to an end, and while a release date was completely MIA and story details were sparse, the rest of the game was detailed heavily and appears to be shaping into something very special.

Overwatch 2 character designs