Aaron Keller, the director of Overwatch 2, acknowledges and agrees with the community`s sentiment that the game currently needs more narrative content. He explicitly stated that for the game to be “firing on all cylinders,” bringing story back as a core element is essential.
In a recent interview with content creator Jay3, Keller touched upon various aspects of the live game, including potential features like a map editor or a looking-for-group system, and the intricate process of developing a new hero. The discussion naturally transitioned to the state of story content in Overwatch 2, and Keller was remarkably open about the situation.
When asked about the possibility of an Overwatch TV series, Keller expressed enthusiasm, saying the team “would love to do that.” He then used this as an opportunity to address fans who feel that “Overwatch has dropped the ball when it comes to story and lore,” recognizing this widespread feedback online.
While the Overwatch series has always prioritized multiplayer gameplay, Blizzard has consistently employed a dedicated story team. This team developed lore through various in-game elements like character interactions, voice lines, sprays, emotes, bios, events, and cosmetic skins. Outside the game, the universe was expanded through comics, novels, and notably, high-quality animated shorts and cinematics – the latter of which the interviewer mentioned missing.
Keller shares that sentiment. He stated, “For me personally… we need to have some of that come back” for Overwatch 2 to feel complete, acknowledging that the team used to release more animated content and desires to do so again. He explained that the team initially had significant ambitions for integrated story content in Overwatch 2, but faced setbacks common in game development.
Speaking plainly, Keller admitted, “We did have a big plan to go after story in the game. That was the PvE side of it, with the campaign… And it didn`t work out.” Originally, a major selling point for Overwatch 2 was a comprehensive PvE mode featuring a story-driven campaign uniting many characters from the roster.
However, this highly anticipated PvE mode was separated from Overwatch 2 before its launch in 2023 and eventually cancelled. This resulted in a “kind of reset moment” for the development team. Some elements were later repurposed, such as story-based PvE missions sold as content packs post-launch. The new “Stadium” mode also successfully adapts the cancelled PvE`s skill-progression system for PvP gameplay.
For fans invested in Overwatch`s overarching narrative and characters, these additions, alongside frequent balance changes and gameplay adjustments, have seemingly come at the expense of substantial in-game story content or new cinematics. Keller and the team appear to understand this and express a desire to return to narrative focus. He commented that they had to “step backwards” to be able to start moving “forward” on story again.
With the game reportedly in a more stable state recently, Keller`s remarks could signal a positive shift towards Overwatch`s narrative becoming a more prominent feature in the near future.