Blizzard Entertainment announced that Overwatch 2 will officially drop the “2” from its name and simply be called Overwatch starting with Season 1 on February 10. The company describes this as the beginning of a “bold new chapter” for the game.

According to Blizzard, the name change reflects how the game has grown beyond just a numbered sequel. “Overwatch is more than just a digit: it’s a living universe that keeps growing, keeps surprising, and keeps bringing players together from around the world,” the company stated.

The rebrand comes alongside major updates for 2026. Season 1 launches on February 10 and introduces a year-long story called “The Reign of Talon.” This narrative will follow Talon’s rise to power while Overwatch tries to stop them. The story will play out through in-game events, cinematics, comics, and map updates across six seasons.

Players can expect 10 new heroes throughout 2026, with five arriving at the Season 1 launch the most heroes ever released at once in the game’s history. Players can try Anran early during a Hero Trial from February 5 to 10. The remaining five heroes will release one per season from Season 2 through Season 6.

Season 1 includes a five-week event called Conquest where players pick sides between Overwatch and Talon. Rewards include 66 lootboxes, exclusive Echo skins, and special titles. A Hello Kitty and Friends collaboration runs from February 10 to 23, featuring themed skins that pair Overwatch heroes with Hello Kitty characters. Juno becomes Hello Kitty, Kiriko gets a Cinnamoroll skin, and Mercy becomes Pompompurin, among others.

The game is getting its largest menu redesign ever, with new 3D hero lobbies, faster navigation, and a refreshed notification system. Competitive mode adds new weapon skins, a Diamond+ Doomfist skin, and integration with FaceIt tournaments for top-ranked players. Additional updates planned for 2026 include two new maps, hero reworks, new mythic skins, and a Nintendo Switch 2 version launching in Season 2.