Hero Missions select screen
Hero Missions (a.k.a. Hero Mode)[1] is a cancelled game mode in Overwatch 2.[2]
Overview[ | ]
Hero Missions made use of the game's talents system. They had some similarity with Story Experience missions, but while Story Experience is more narrative based, Hero Missions were designed to be highly replayable[3] (though would feature some light story elements).[4] They were larger in scope than Story Missions.[5]
Each mission was different from the one before, from the map being played in to the enemies players would face, whether they were Talon or Null Sector. Objectives in the mission would vary each time they were played; for instance, a holdout mission in Watchpoint: Gibraltar, or taking out a Null Sector Charger in Route 66.[3] Hero missions took place in pre-existing multiplayer maps, but additional areas would sometimes be added. Environmental effects were also present (e.g. sandstorms) as well as day-night cycles.[4]
Null Sector and Talon were intended to serve as the initial antagonists in the mode, but it was indicated that new factions could be introduced later.[3]
Development[ | ]
Hero Missions were announced in BlizzCon 2019 as a part of the Overwatch 2 major PvE release.[3] Hundreds of hero missions were expected to be released.[4] However, Team 4 ran into issues when developing the mode; the team struggled to find their footing, and the scope of the mode grew. According to Aaron Keller, the team was trying to do too many things at once, and lost focus. Furthermore, resources were being pulled from the live-service elements of Overwatch 2 to work on the mode. He has further commented that the "crawl, walk, run" development plan that began in Project Titan wasn't working.[1]
The decision to change the direction of the game's PvE content was made in late 2022, after the release of Overwatch 2. As there was no definitive end in sight for the development of Hero Missions, the shift was made to put everything in the live game.[6]
On May 16, 2023, it was announced that the original plan for a major PvE release had been scrapped, and that smaller batches of PvE content would be featured as part of seasonal content instead. In the process, Hero Missions and various progression features related to them, were cut from development.[2] In its place, Story Missions would have more focus.[6] Some elements of Hero Missions have been repurposed into other content.[7] After the announcement, many falsely claimed that PvE had been cancelled, when in reality, only Hero Missions were.[8]
Types of Missions[ | ]
- Gather and Return (e.g. collecting cannisters and returning them to a deposit area before time runs out)
- Holdout
- Retrieval
- Escape
- Payload
- Kill Quest
- Scavenger Hunt
- Wall of Death[4]
See also[ | ]
References[ | ]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 2023-05-19, DIRECTOR’S TAKE – REFLECTING ON THE FUTURE OF OVERWATCH 2. PlayOverwatch, accessed on 2023-05-20
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2023-05-16, Overwatch 2: Creating Starwatch, PvE Updates, & The 2023 Roadmap | Dev Update. Youtube, accessed on 2023-05-16
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 2019-11-07, BlizzCon 2019 Overwatch 2 Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2020-04-10
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 2021-02-20, BlizzConline 2021 | Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2 | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2021-03-13
- ↑ 2023-08-18, DIRECTOR’S TAKE – LOOKING BEYOND OVERWATCH 2: INVASION. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2023-08-20
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 2023-05-16. Overwatch 2's PvE Hero Mode Is Being Scrapped, Blizzard Explains What Happened and Why GameSpot. Accessed on 2023-05-17.
- ↑ 2023-06-12, Exclusive First Hands-On With The PvE Story Missions. Game Informer, accessed on 2023-06-19
- ↑ 2023-08-11, Overwatch 2: Invasion feels like the start of the franchise’s redemption arc. Dexerto, accessed on 2023-08-21