Activision Blizzard has confirmed that it has made the decision to delay Overwatch 2 to a “later launch.”
The publisher added that it is not expecting “material contribution” from the hotly anticipated sequel to their globally popular team-based shooter in their financial results next year, meaning that the earliest that we can now expect the game to launch will be in 2023.
“As we have worked with new leadership in Blizzard and within the franchises themselves, particularly in certain key creative roles, it has become apparent that some of the Blizzard content planned for next year will benefit from more development time to reach its full potential,” Activision Blizzard explained.
“While we are still planning to deliver a substantial amount of content from Blizzard next year, we are now planning for a later launch for Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV than originally envisaged.
“These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters. But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future.
“These decisions will push out the financial uplift that we had expected to see next year. But we are confident that this is the right course of action for our people, our players and the long-term success of our franchises.”
