Overwatch 2 will be released in a few days, but fans have already noticed the game appears to be reusing assets from its predecessor. Overwatch 2 will see a vast number of changes when the game is released, including reducing the number of combatants down from 6v6 as seen in the original to 5v5.
Blizzard’s highly anticipated first-person online shooter will be going live on October 4 as a free-to-play title across PC and consoles, and the original Overwatch will see its servers shut down to accommodate the latest entry. However, some players have pointed out similarities between certain unlockable cosmetics that have a striking resemblance to those found in the original.
A user on Reddit going by the name of michhatesrats posted a picture of one of the emotes that can be obtained in the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass. The image shows a new emote for Junkrat as he is seen taking a sip from a large cup. Fans of the first game have been quick to point out that this new emote shares an uncanny similarity with Junkrat’s victory pose, Toast, which was seen in the first game.
Replies to the post have taken umbrage with this detail, as the assets used to create the original victory pose are being repackaged as an emote and effectively being resold back to the players. With players already facing higher costs for OWL cosmetics, and with a reoccurring battle pass payment, gamers are wanting to ensure they get value for money, rather than having to rebuy the same items from a game they will no longer have access to.
It is prudent to point out that Blizzard is not re-selling items players already have, rather the team is using pre-existing assets to help develop a new animation. It is likely that as OW 2 is a free-to-play title, the developers would be conscious of minimizing any unwanted costs. Creating a new emote from existing assets will arguably take less time than creating something from scratch. To this end, a recent Overwatch 2 video detailing the Season 1 Battle Pass has been released so players can find out what goodies can be found before parting with any cash.
The Overwatch 2 preload window is beginning to roll out across the world ahead of the big launch, which will undoubtedly excite those eager to jump into the game. As a reminder, October 1 – October 2 will be the last weekend to play the original before the servers are switched over, although some save data can be carried over to the new game, provided gamers link up their battle.net accounts.
Overwatch 2 launches in early access on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
