When Overwatch 2 is released, it will be free. Thus, the game will live and die based on its monetization and Blizzard’s ability to tempt players to buy cosmetics. Some might say that the best way to do this is through the loot boxes, with which the first game was released. However, in recent years loot boxes have become the target of government regulation, with lawmakers calling them predators and gamblers. So maybe you shouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t any loot boxes in the sequel.
Although Blizzard has confirmed that there will be a store in the game, players will not be able to spend money on loot boxes as they would in the first game. Rather, players will buy the items they want directly, taking the risk and playing outside the process. It is difficult to say whether this will be the right decision from a monetary perspective, but it is certainly the right decision from a public relations perspective. Also, if the game had loot boxes, it could not be sold in certain countries, which is a headache that no game maker really wants.
According to Blizzard, the game store will be constantly updated, which is pretty standard. This is what games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, Rocket League and almost every space game do.
The hurdle for Blizzard will be to release enough cosmetics to keep up with this constant update. The other obstacle will be to strike a balance between the retention and the reward of the players that take, assuming that there will be a way for players to earn some game money without spending money, which is a guarantee, as each game handles this design decision differently.
Overwatch 2 will be released, in the form of early access, on October 4 via Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. Before that happens, there will be an open beta later this month.