It looks like Overwatch 2 players have found new, hidden areas in old maps which may hint at future content in the hero shooter’s pipeline.
Players, such as TikTok user @lowendwibs, have found inaccessible sections in established maps that have been added in Overwatch 2. As of this writing, this includes King’s Row, Havana, and Rialto, all of which now have new, unused areas on the map that you can’t reach through normal gameplay.
However, if you play a match on any of these maps and watch the replay, you can move the camera around freely as you spectate. IGN has verified in-game that doing so will allow you to find and explore unused sections of the map added in Overwatch 2.
These new additions could point to a few things: they could be part of Overwatch 2’s new story content that will start rolling out next year, which will include revamped versions of PvP maps. It could also be part of altered maps Blizzard discussed during its Blizzcon 2021 presentation as part of Hero Missions, a new mode that was teased but has yet to be implemented into the live game.
King’s Row was used as an example during the showcase, which will have the payload on the escort section go down a different path than it does in a standard match. So, it looks like Rialto and Havana could be seeing a remixed payload path in a future update. Whether that be for the narrative segments or the Hero Missions.
Notably, King’s Row and Rialto were previously used as part of the original Overwatch’s PvE mode during the Archives event, which included new areas of the map opening up alongside new objectives.
This has led some fans to dismiss these findings as part of the previous event. However, IGN compared these new areas to the ones shown in the Archives event and confirmed they’re not the same sections. As @lowendwibs points out, the Rialto segment from the Archives event isn’t present at all in Overwatch 2’s PvP map, and King’s Row didn’t include a new pathway when it was redone for the Archives event.
Overwatch 2’s PvP content is playable now as a free-to-play game on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch, and will act as a platform for future updates. For more on the sequel, its changes to 5v5 format, and its monetization as it pivoted to free-to-play, check out IGN’s review.
Kenneth Shepard is a writer covering games, entertainment, and queerness all around the internet. Find him on Twitter at @shepardcdr, and listen to his biweekly video game retrospective podcast Normandy FM, which is currently covering Cyberpunk 2077.
About Post Author
