'Overwatch is more than just a digit' — Overwatch 2 is losing the '2' as Blizzard announces major overhaul with 10 new heroes throughout the year and a Nintendo Switch 2 release

The Reign of Talon Season 1 kicks off on February 10

05 Feb 2026, 11:51 · TechRadar

News By Demi Williams published 5 February 2026

(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

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Overwatch 2 will be rebranded to just Overwatch
A year long narrative titled "The Reign of Talon" will start next month and will be told throughout the year across six seasons
10 new heroes will be added during this time, alongside brand new skins, events, and game features

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that it's dropping the "2" in Overwatch 2, alongside major year-long plans for the hero shooter.

During the latest Overwatch Spotlight livestream, the studio revealed that less than four years after launching Overwatch 2, the title will be reverting back to simply "Overwatch" when its very first year-long narrative kicks off next month.

"Overwatch is more than just a digit: it's a living universe that keeps growing, keeps surprising, and keeps bringing players together from around the world," Blizzard explained in a press release. "This year marks a huge turning point in how the development team envisions the future of Overwatch, so we are officially dropping '2' and moving forward as 'Overwatch'."

The storyline, titled "The Reign of Talon", will begin on February 10 with Season 1 and will be told across "a multi-faceted, fully-connected story across the entire year" through to Season 6. The arc starts with a new cinematic and will unfold through motion comics, in-game events, new voice lines, animated hero trailers, and short stories.

After The Reign of Talon concludes, a new story and Season 1 will then launch in 2027.

To tell the upcoming story, Overwatch will receive 10 new heroes throughout the year, with the first five dropping when Season 1 begins next month.

They include three characters from the antagonist Talon faction, Domina (Tank), Emre (Damage), and Mizuki (Support), while the Overwatch team will get Anran (Damage) and Jetpack Cat (Support). New heroes are expected to be added between Season 2 and Season 6.

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