Blizzard will bring its games to Steam starting with Overwatch 2

Blizzard announced that will release some of their games on Steambeginning with Overwatch 2. After a decade of keeping them exclusive to Battle.net, the company revealed that it’s time to try something new. The decision appears to coincide with Activision’s upcoming acquisition, a move that will change the old ways of doing business.

Creators Devil And World of Warcraft recognized the importance of Steam and problem related to the limitation of computer games to one platform. Blizzard said in a blog post that one of the things that is helping them move forward is making their games easier to access. “Video games are already for everyone,” he said and promised to break down existing barriers so that everyone can enjoy them wherever they want.

The first Blizzard game to debut on Steam will be Overwatch 2. He shooter free for teams available from August 10coinciding with the start of the new season. According to the company, the amount of content that comes with Invasion represents a great opportunity for new players to join this universe.

The choice of this name is not accidental, because Overwatch 2 significantly reduced the number of active users. Blizzard knows that downloadable content isn’t enough if no one is playing it, and limiting it to one platform is the first hurdle. The Steam version will have all the current features and will support achievements, friends list and more. The only requirement that will not change is required Battle.net account.

Overwatch 2 be the first of the list of games that will appear on Steam. Blizzard hasn’t revealed what the next ones will be, although we could expect priority to be given to free to play How home or immortal devil.

Why will Blizzard release their games on Steam?

While Battle.net has been around for over twenty years, the online store debuted in 2013 as part of the desktop app. Times were different and the transition to digital format was gaining momentum, so several companies have decided to challenge Steam.

Over the years, companies like EA, Ubisoft or Activision have realized that PC Gamers Hate Exclusives. The most obvious proof of Steam’s power came in late 2022 when Activision broke sales and active user records by launching Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Now it’s Blizzard’s turn to mention that video games are no longer exclusive to a certain community.

“While Battle.net remains a priority for us both now and in the future, we have heard that gamers want to be able to use Steam with our games,” said Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard. For his part, Gabe Newell, Valve’s boss, agreed that players and developers would benefit from Overwatch 2 ferry.

Another important fact is that Microsoft has weight in this decision. In a lawsuit with the FTC, it was revealed that the tech giant described as a “complete failure” to withdraw call of Duty from Steam make it exclusive to Battle.net. The popularity of the shooter has not been reflected in the growth in the number of Blizzard customers, and the numbers confirm this.