This. They should of treated overwatch like RB6Siege.
Take the base game and keep expanding and improving on it. OW2 simply isn’t needed.
As a longtime OW fan, I think this is a really low bar you want to set. Who knows if Blizz can live up to promises and make the sequel as badass as it sounds on paper, but we are talking about the following:
- Entirely updated engine (affecting everything from graphics, gameplay, to sound).
- PVE co-op campaign with lore galore, cutscenes, set pieces etc.
- Apparently a large amount of repeatable co-op missions outside of the campaign.
- An expanded cast of AI opponents with their own unique traits and challenges.
- Revised role traits; potentially a fresh flow and feel to the game's combat encounters as a result
- Fairly significant skill trees to progress through and readapt; build experimentation for every single hero.
- Multiple new maps.
- Multiple new heroes.
- A new core PVP game mode (maybe more to be revealed)
- Surely new arcade / casual modes (probably including one which implements the PVE skill tree stuff for goofy PVP fun)
- Overhauled UI and menus.
- Overhauled sound design.
- Revised monetization to move away from loot boxes (not a gameplay thing but we all know it's important); F2P likely.
So I'd say there's quite a lot going on here to warrant the '2' - original OW has limitations, and that's only become more and more apparent as time goes on. Saying they should just stick to those limitations for OW1 and be done with it is grossly undervaluing the potential for the series.
I still love Overwatch, but I'm glad Blizz seem to be approaching this sequel with some real ambition to make good on many of the game's inadequacies. Expanded lore and a proper co-op campaign alone are two MASSIVE aspects that people were asking for before the original game even launched.
Let's just hope it all pays off...!