Bad News: No Overwatch 2 or Diablo IV This Year

If you’re a Blizzard fan, we have some bad news. Sadly, the company has revealed that it will not be releasing Overwatch 2 or Diablo IV in 2021.

This news comes as part of a conference call to discuss the earnings from Q4 FY2020. Generally speaking, things are looking good for the company’s immediate future: the World of Warcraft expansion Shadowlands actually broke records by selling 3.7 million copies on the first day alone.

For better or for worse, the call confirmed that Diablo Immortal will be coming out this year. This is the free-to-play mobile version of Diablo that many franchise fans aren’t that excited about.

One reason for the tepid response is the upcoming title Diablo IV. When Diablo Immortal was announced at the 2018 Blizzcon, fans actually booed because they wanted a proper continuation of the franchise. Those same fans were pleased when the Diablo IV was announced a year later, but are likely to be disappointed at the news that the game is not coming out this year.

But for fans who want to play both Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV, there may be a sliver of hope. There is a chance that the company is simply taking the additional time to polish each title. By announcing no plans to release the games early on this year, the company can help to manage fan expectations and maybe even surprise us with an earlier release.

Of the two games, Overwatch 2 is the biggest mystery. With Diablo IV, franchise fans can expect a return to darker gameplay of earlier titles as well as an overhauled online experience. But we know little about Overwatch 2 except that it will focus more on PvE-style gameplay rather than the PvP focus of the original game.

Be sure to check back for updates on these developments. With BlizzCon Online taking place February 19–20, there is a good chance we will learn more about each of these titles very soon!