Overwatch 2 Season 3 Brings New Map, One Punch Man Collab, Asian Mythology Theme, And Text-Based Dating Sim - February 6, 2023 at 01:20PM

After its launch in October of last year, Overwatch 2 is ready to kick off its third season of content on February 7. This season delivers several facets of new content, including a new Antarctica Control map, Asian Mythology theme, and a Kiriko Mythic skin. On top of that, Blizzard announced some unexpected additions to its Overwatch offerings, including the first IP collaboration as well as a web-based game to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

Antarctica joins the map rotation in Season 3. While players are already familiar with Earth’s least-populated continent through Ecopoint: Antarctica, this map features unique locations, including an ice-breaker ship and an underground drilling station. The map allows players to take the high-ground or sneaky flank routes to reach their objectives.

Season 3’s overall theme is Asian Mythology. By drawing inspiration from the legends of various Asian cultures, Blizzard created what it touts as some of its most unique skins to date. One of those skins sits atop its Premium Battle Pass in the form of the Amaterasu Kiriko Mythic skin, which was inspired by various deities in Japanese mythology. This Mythic skin also features a new look for Kiriko’s spirit fox.

Though our initial impressions of Overwatch 2 were overall high thanks to its fun continuation of the Overwatch formula and gameplay, the longer we spent with the seasonal structure, the less excited we’ve become to log on each day. Blizzard seems aware of the effect its Battle Pass has had on some longtime players and is taking some initial steps to try and rectify it. Season 3’s Battle Pass promises more rewards for simply logging in and playing, with an additional 10 tiers of rewards on the free track, plus 1,500 Credits to earn for use in the Hero Gallery. The Premium track also receives an upgrade with 500 more Credits than in previous seasons.

On top of that, nearly all the Epic and Legendary event hero skins from Overwatch 1 have been added to the Hero Gallery and will be available for purchase with either Overwatch Coins or Credits at a lowered price of 1,500 Credits (down from 1,900). Blizzard will also be offering four skins earnable outside of the Battle Pass through in-game events. One of those earnable skins is Overwatch’s first-ever IP collaboration.

This debut collaboration features the popular manga/anime One Punch Man. Fittingly, the outfit of the hero who can defeat anyone with one punch is given to Overwatch’s own hard-hitting heavy, Doomfist. Blizzard says this is just the first collaboration and that it wants fans to chime in with suggestions for future collaborations.

Finally, Blizzard is launching a non-canon text-based dating sim called Loverwatch. In this web-based game, players can choose between two potential dating paths: Mercy or Genji. Each path features dialogue options to interact with your Hero of choice, with help provided by Hanzo/Cupid. If you can unlock the secret ending of this 30-minute dating sim, you’ll be rewarded with a themed Highlight Intro. Loverwatch will be available to play right here through February 28.

Overwatch 2 Season 3 kicks off on February 7. For more on what Season 3 promises to bring, you can head over to the official blog post.