Why Did Characters Get Locked in Overwatch 2?
The launch of Overwatch 2 brought significant changes to the hero shooter, and one of the most controversial was the locking of characters behind a progression system for new players. Essentially, players who are new to the Overwatch franchise find themselves needing to unlock a majority of the original game’s heroes. This decision stems from Blizzard’s attempt to create a smoother onboarding process for newcomers, aiming to prevent the overwhelming feeling of having access to all 35 heroes at once. Instead of being instantly confronted with a massive roster, new players are introduced to a smaller selection of heroes and gradually unlock the rest by playing matches. This tutorial-like system is intended to help them learn the game mechanics, understand different hero roles, and become familiar with the game’s strategic depth without feeling immediately overwhelmed. However, this system is quite different from the original Overwatch, where all heroes were available from the start, leading to significant confusion and frustration, particularly among returning players who were not expecting to have to re-unlock access to characters they previously owned. It is not intended that players with established accounts from Overwatch 1 should have to unlock heroes, and when that does happen it is due to a bug, not an intended game mechanic.
The New Player Experience: A Gradual Hero Unlocking System
The core of the issue lies in what Blizzard calls the “new player experience”. The intention was noble: to ease new players into Overwatch 2 by giving them a manageable initial selection of heroes. The idea is that slowly unlocking heroes would prevent the potential confusion from having access to all 35 characters at once. The game’s design intentionally limits new players to just 13 heroes at the start. The remaining roster is unlocked over time, typically through playing unranked matches. Players must complete approximately 150 matches to unlock all heroes from the original game. This progression system is meant to encourage players to explore different roles and strategies, preventing them from getting stuck in comfort zones too early. It aims to promote a well-rounded understanding of the game’s mechanics, and a broader enjoyment of different character kits. While the rationale behind this system is understandable, it has not been without its problems and negative feedback from both new and long term players.
Intended Advantages
The primary advantages Blizzard intended with this lock-out system are focused on new players:
- Reduced Overwhelm: New players aren’t immediately flooded with a large number of heroes, which can be confusing and intimidating.
- Guided Learning: The system is designed as a form of tutorial, slowly introducing characters and roles to new users.
- Promoted Exploration: It encourages players to experiment with various hero types and play styles, fostering versatility and a deeper understanding of game mechanics.
The Controversy and Issues for Returning Players
While the new player experience was aimed to help new players, it has also led to negative player experiences. One major issue lies in the fact that some returning Overwatch players also find their characters locked, despite their previous ownership of the game, which is due to a bug. This was a major point of contention after the launch, which was further worsened by the fact that the initial progression system was not always clearly communicated to the players. This has led to confusion, frustration, and the feeling that valuable progress has been lost. The mislabeling of accounts was a major issue, and players who logged into Overwatch 2 initially found their previously unlocked heroes unavailable.
Unintended Consequences
The implementation of this progression system has led to significant unintended negative consequences:
- Frustration Among Returning Players: Many players who played the original Overwatch have had to re-unlock characters that they were previously able to play.
- Bugs and Glitches: The system was not without technical issues, leading to player accounts sometimes being mislabeled, requiring relogging to rectify the access problem.
- Miscommunication: Initial explanations from Blizzard regarding the locking system were not always clear, which led to additional player frustration.
Fixing the Issue
For players encountering these issues with locked characters, there are methods to attempt to resolve it. The most common solution involves simply restarting the game and relogging into your account. This process typically prompts the game to correctly recognize your account status and reinstate access to your previously unlocked heroes. If the issue persists, players have found some success in repeatedly restarting the game. While this is not an ideal solution, the bug does seem to self-correct in most cases when a player attempts to log in multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about hero locks in Overwatch 2, offering deeper insight and solutions to common player queries.
1. How many games do I need to play to unlock all heroes in Overwatch 2?
You’ll need to play approximately 150 unranked matches to unlock all the original heroes. This number may vary slightly depending on your win rate.
2. Why are some heroes disabled in Overwatch 2?
Some heroes, such as Bastion and Torbjörn, have been temporarily disabled due to exploits that allowed players to abuse their abilities. These heroes are temporarily removed from Competitive and/or Quick Play until a fix is issued. Sigma has also been disabled from ranked due to a bug that lets him fly infinitely using his ultimate ability.
3. How do I unlock Zenyatta in Overwatch 2?
Zenyatta is one of the earlier unlocks in the progression system, and can be accessed after playing approximately 25 matches.
4. Why can’t I play all heroes in Overwatch 2 from the start?
Blizzard has limited initial access to only 13 heroes to avoid overwhelming new players. The rest are unlocked through the new player experience by playing unranked matches.
5. Why is Doomfist locked?
Doomfist is unlocked much later in the progression system, approximately after 85 matches. He is not immediately accessible to new players.
6. Why is Sigma locked in ranked?
Sigma has been temporarily disabled in competitive modes due to a game-breaking glitch with his ultimate.
7. Is Kiriko still locked? How do I unlock her?
Kiriko is unlocked through the Battle Pass. You can either unlock her instantly by purchasing the premium Battle Pass, or you can unlock her by reaching Level 55 on the free Battle Pass tier.
8. Do returning Overwatch 1 players have to unlock characters in Overwatch 2?
Returning Overwatch 1 players whose accounts have been merged with their Battle.net account should have access to all heroes from the start. However, if they are forced to unlock heroes, it is due to a bug that can be corrected by restarting the game and relogging into your account.
9. What was the Zenyatta glitch in Overwatch 2?
The Zenyatta glitch allowed players to clip an opposing character through the wall, often resulting in their death by falling out of the map.
10. How do I unlock Ramattra for free?
You can unlock Ramattra for free by reaching Tier 45 of the Battle Pass in his respective season.
11. Are heroes not free in Overwatch 2?
New heroes are introduced through the Battle Pass, either instantly through purchasing the premium tier or by reaching a specific level in the free tier. However, the original heroes are intended to be unlocked through playing matches.
12. Will Overwatch 2 remove heroes?
Yes, Blizzard has removed heroes due to bugs such as Mei, who has been temporarily removed from the game due to glitches.
13. Why is Torbjörn locked?
Torbjörn has been temporarily disabled in some matchmaking modes due to bugs with his Overload ability. He is currently unavailable in Competitive play.
14. How do I unlock Genji in Overwatch 2?
Genji can be unlocked very early in the progression system. You’ll have access to him almost immediately after starting to play matches. You can also receive D.Va for winning that initial match.
15. Why does Zenyatta have blue health?
Zenyatta has a blue health bar because it represents shield health, which is recoverable.