Massive Blizzard Game Expansion: Steam Welcomes Overwatch 2, with More Epic Titles on the Horizon!

Overwatch 2 will be available on Steam starting from August 10, and other Blizzard games are expected to follow suit in the future. This decision may come as a surprise to fans, as Blizzard has traditionally hosted its games on its Battle.net platform since the 1990s.

August 10 marks a pivotal moment for Overwatch 2. On this day, Blizzard will launch Overwatch 2 Season 6 along with the highly anticipated Invasion update. This update will introduce a new Support hero, the Flashpoint game mode, as well as co-op PvE story missions that progress the game's narrative. The unexpected move to bring Overwatch 2 to Steam further solidifies August 10 as one of the most important dates in Overwatch's history, rivaling the game's initial release in 2016.

As for why Blizzard has decided to release Overwatch 2 on Steam, Blizzard President Mike Ybarra stated, "It's our priority at Blizzard to listen to players and go beyond their expectations. While Battle.net remains important to us now and in the future, we have taken into account players' desire for the option of playing our games on Steam. We are pleased to announce that Overwatch 2 will be available on Steam starting August 10th. We are excited to collaborate with Valve to bring this opportunity to fruition." Gabe Newell, founder of Valve, also shared his thoughts on the matter, saying, "Both gamers and developers will benefit from Overwatch 2 being available on Steam. Gamers will have an additional platform where they can enjoy a beloved game that fully utilizes the features of Steam, while developers will gain from the expertise of Blizzard's talented team in enhancing and expanding our supported features and functionalities for Overwatch 2." The initial announcement did not mention whether Overwatch 2 would be compatible with the potential Steam Deck.

When is Overwatch 2 Coming to Steam?

Overwatch 2 Steam Release Date: Thursday, August 10

While the official explanation exists, one must consider if there is another significant factor driving Blizzard's decision to release Overwatch 2 on Steam. In a recent earnings report, Activision Blizzard acknowledged a decline in player engagement for Overwatch 2. Steam attracts a large number of dedicated PC gamers, and by making the game available on this platform, it opens doors for potentially millions of players to join and contribute to a significant boost in the game's population upon the highly-anticipated August 10 update.

Those interested in accessing Overwatch 2 on Steam should be aware that it will support Steam achievements and friends lists. However, players will still need a Battle.net account to play the game on Steam, which aligns with the requirements across all other platforms currently hosting Overwatch 2. Nonetheless, this requirement may cause some Steam gamers to hesitate.

The reaction of Steam gamers to Overwatch 2 and the PC gaming community's perception of Blizzard releasing one of its games on Steam will be intriguing. If this experiment proves successful, it is possible that all Blizzard games could potentially be released on Steam in the future. However, the company has not disclosed any other titles from its lineup that may follow suit. As of now, Overwatch 2 is currently accessible in early access for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.