Activision Blizzard has confirmed that Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV will be delayed. They’re expected to be released in 2023, according to insiders.
ACCORDING TO ACTIVISION, BLIZZARD’S LATEST INVESTOR CALL, Diablo IV, and Overwatch 2 will be released later than expected. According to reputable industry insiders, Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV will now reportedly launch in 2023, despite no specific release date being announced.
According to recent reports, Overwatch 2 is set to release in 2022, specifically sometime before the summer. According to the report, Blizzard prioritized the game’s release and locked in all of the game’s content so that the team could begin polishing. Now, it appears that Blizzard’s plans have changed, as the game has been pushed back from its original release date, possibly to a new year. Unfortunately, blizzard has been stingy with the information it has made public about Overwatch 2, so it’s unclear what will happen next.
Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV are both scheduled for a “later launch than originally envisaged,” according to Activision Blizzard’s earnings call (via Stephen Totilo). According to Blizzard’s Mike Ybarra, the delays were caused by leadership changes in both games (via Jason Schreier). Diablo IV’s former director left the company in August following the Activision Blizzard lawsuit. Although Activision Blizzard did not provide a new release date, insider Tom Henderson reported that both games would now be released in 2023.
Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 delayed pic.twitter.com/4pr9c0OEdz
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) November 2, 2021
Both games have been delayed until 2023.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) November 2, 2021
On Activision Blizzard earnings call, Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra says that Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 were delayed largely due to changes in leadership on both teams. OW2's executive producer left by choice; D4's director was seemingly ousted after the misconduct lawsuit
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 2, 2021
It’s unclear when Blizzard will start sharing more information about these games, as it appears that they’ll be taking a long time to complete them. Both Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV were expected to be significant releases for Activision next year. Still, it now appears that the company will focus on Call of Duty and mobile games for the rest of the year.
A previous rumor suggested that Overwatch 2 would be released in 2023, but it’s unclear whether this now corresponds to the details in that report or is simply a coincidence. Activision hasn’t confirmed that Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 will be released in 2023, but as 2022 approaches, they likely will.
Source: Stephen Totilo/Twitter, Tom Henderson/Twitter, Jason Schreier/Twitter
