After being offline for over six weeks, Blizzard has missed its planned window for the Overwatch beta to return.
Blizzard’s newest IP was initially due to return in mid-to-late January. However as January ticks over into February, the company claims that Overwatch will not be returning until later next month.
The development team are using the break to analyze data and feedback from the initial beta period, as well as make some changes to the game for its return—which we now know will include a new game mode.
Details on the new game mode, and the related maps, have not been revealed but they will be released when the game comes back online in a few weeks.
“While progress has been great and the team has been working super hard to get everything implemented on time, we’re not quite ready to bring the Closed Beta back online just yet,” game director Jeff Kaplan said in a statement. “We’ve been pretty open about the fact that we could slip into February from the beginning… and we don’t intend to slip out of February.”
Blizzard plans for the beta to continue in mid-February, according to Kaplan’s statement. Players will be given a week’s notice before the game comes back online.
The two month shutdown has frustrated players who were just getting into the game, as well as those involved in the fledgling competitive scene. But hopefully when the games come back, it will be better than ever to justify the wait.
Image via Blizzard (All rights reserved, used with permission)