Blizzard has officially announced the delays ofOverwatch 2andDiablo 4until at least 2023.
The announcements was made during the company’s latest quarterly earnings report on a presentation slide titled “Update on Our Pipeline.” Neither title had a previously announced release date, but the company as made it clear that they are now “planning for a later launch forOverwatch 2andDiablo 4than originally envisaged.” The statement from the slide also states that the company believes that the projects could use some extra development time due to “new leadership… particularly in key creative roles” on the projects and Blizzard as a whole.
“These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters,” the statement said. “But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future.”
The company also notes that these delays will affect an anticipated “financial uplift” that the company expected to see next year. “But we are confident that this is the right course of action for our people, our players, and the long-term success of our franchises.” With 2022 quickly approaching and the delay pushing the titles back even further, it is possible they will not see release until 2023.
RELATED:BlizzCon 2022 Cancelled in Order to Reimagine the Future of the Event
It was also announced during theQ2 financial reportthatOverwatch 2had been making “great progress” and that the project and surpassed a “major milestone.” Meanwhile,Diablo 4sawJoe Shelytake over asdirector on the projectafterLuis Barrigawas fired from Blizzard also amidst the ongoing lawsuit. It has also been noted that despite this delay, theOverwatchLeague will still be using an early build ofOverwatch 2in the upcoming 2022 season. This wasannouncedto be happening back in early September and will still go ahead despite this delay.
This announcement of delays also follows the company cancelling BlizzCon 2022 in late October, citing the company’s effort to “reimagine” the event and to make the event feel “as safe, welcoming, and inclusive as possible.”
There has been no new release date for eitherDiablo 4orOverwatch 2officially announced by Activision-Blizzard, who still involved in an ongoing discrimination lawsuit. The aforementioned lawsuit was issued by the state of California for an alleged “frat boy culture” that fostered widespread harassment, a toxic work environment, and unequal pay, among numerous other things.
