Blizzard Leisure is bringing its PC video games to Steam, beginning with the discharge of Overwatch 2 on Valve’s digital storefront on Aug. 10, Blizzard introduced Wednesday. Polygon experiences: The Home windows PC model of Overwatch 2, like lots of Blizzard’s PC video games, is at present solely out there via Battle.internet. However with Microsoft’s impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard and declining participant engagement within the sport, the maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Overwatch seems to be altering its technique. Blizzard says it is going to carry “a variety” of its video games to Steam, however didn’t specify which titles past Overwatch 2 will make the soar from Battle.internet. (A number of traditional Blizzard video games, together with the unique Diablo and the primary two Warcraft video games, can be found via GOG.com.)
The acceptance of Steam as a platform for Blizzard’s video games is a part of the studio’s evolution, the corporate stated in a weblog submit. “[O]ne of the concepts pushing us ahead is assembly gamers world wide the place they’re, and making our video games as simple as attainable to entry and play,” the corporate stated. “We wish to give everybody an opportunity to expertise our universes with previous pals whereas making new ones, irrespective of how they select to play.” In its announcement, Blizzard stated it is not shifting away from Battle.internet. However, it defined, “as we have advanced, the trade has advanced too — gaming is now not only for particular communities because it was when Battle.internet launched over 20 years in the past, gaming is for everybody — and although we stay dedicated to repeatedly investing in and supporting Battle.internet, we wish to break down the obstacles to make it simpler for gamers in every single place to seek out and revel in our video games.”
Blizzard says that gamers on Steam will nonetheless want a Battle.internet account linked to Overwatch 2 to play the sport. The Steam model will assist Steam achievements and pals lists, however Blizzard didn’t announce Steam Deck assist. Overwatch 2 can now be wishlisted via Steam. As for Blizzard’s future plans for different sport releases on Steam, the corporate stated will probably be “sharing extra about potential different video games coming to the platform when the time is correct.”