In a surprising move, Blizzard has announced that they will be transitioning away from their iconic Battle.net launcher as the exclusive platform for their games. Instead, a selection of their games will be making their way to Steam, starting with Overwatch 2 on August 10.
The primary aim behind this decision is to enhance accessibility, with Blizzard openly stating their intent to "break down the barriers" and make it easier for players worldwide to discover and enjoy their games.
Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment, emphasized that while Battle.net will remain a priority, they have formed a genuine partnership with Valve to facilitate this transition:
"While Battle.net remains a priority for us now and into the future, we've heard players want the choice of Steam for a selection of our games, starting with Overwatch 2 on August 10th. We're happy to work with Valve to make that happen."
The early August release aligns well with the forthcoming Invasion content, part of the next seasonal content set, and introduces a new core PvP game mode.
Valve's President, Gabe Newell, also shared his thoughts on the benefits of having Overwatch 2 on the Steam platform:
"Gamers and developers are both going to benefit from Overwatch 2 coming to Steam. Gamers will have another platform where they can play a beloved game that utilizes the capabilities of Steam, and developers will benefit from the effects of having the talented team at Blizzard helping us evolve our supported features and functionality for Overwatch 2."
Though players will still need to register a Battle.net account to access the title, the full range of iconic Steam features will be available, including Steam achievements, the Steam friends list, and the ability to invite friends to play in-game.
Interestingly, this development comes amidst the buzz surrounding various methods players had been using to play Overwatch 2 on the much-praised Steam Deck console. With a native option now available, some see it as a means to expand the player base by reducing entry barriers, given that a polished F2P title like Overwatch 2 fits right into Steam's ecosystem.
As we eagerly await further announcements, the community wonders which other titles from Battle.net will be included in this selection. Could we possibly see World of Warcraft as a native Steam option in the future?
On a lighter note, Overwatch fans are hoping for some Team Fortress 2 crossover skins to spice up Overwatch 2.
The Overwatch 2 Steam page is now live and open for wishlisting.
