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Video game fans looking forward to the release of “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo 4” will now have to wait longer than expected before getting their hands on the much-awaited titles. In its latest earnings call, Blizzard confirmed that plans for the launch window of both games have changed.
While the company still left out specific details about the games’ launch, Blizzard confirmed the change of plans during the call on Tuesday. “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,” Blizzard chief operating officer Daniel Alegre said.
Blizzard and the teams attached to the games’ development have confirmed the games’ existence for some time now. They have yet to narrow down the release windows for both titles, but there were indications that they could be launched next year.
In an earnings report released last February, the company noted that its important IPs are in development and expected to “fuel further growth in 2022 and beyond.” It appeared as a solid hint at “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo 4” possibly launching in 2022 at the earliest.
Alegre also said during the Tuesday call that they deemed “some of the Blizzard content planned for next year” need more development time after the company appointed new leaders for the company and the game franchises. Blizzard was slammed with lawsuits with allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and “frat boy” culture happening within the company for years.
Former Blizzard president J. Allen Brack was one of the key persons who left the company after the California Department of Fair Employment, and Housing lawsuit was filed. Activision Blizzard later appointed Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra as Blizzard co-leaders, but Oneal announced on Tuesday that she is leaving the company by the end of the year, leaving Ybarra as the sole leader of Blizzard. It remains to be seen if Oneal’s exit from Blizzard in the coming months would affect the development of “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo 4.”
Meanwhile, the latest delay of these games confirms an earlier rumor from August that “Overwatch 2” may not be ready to launch in 2022. Leaker @Metro_OW cited multiple sources claiming that the sequel’s development was taking more time than anticipated, resulting in its unlikely release next year.
