Activision Blizzard may have hinted at ‘Overwatch 2’ and ‘Diablo 4’ launching in ‘2022 and beyond’

The announcement of “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo 4” were undoubtedly some of the highlights of the last BlizzCon in 2019. It led to speculations that these games could be released in 2021, but that does not seem to be the case.

When to expect the launch of ‘Overwatch 2’ and ‘Diablo 4’

Activision Blizzard is home to plenty of widely popular video game IPs, but the “Overwatch” and “Diablo” franchises are arguably some of its most recognizable titles. However, it might take more time than anticipated before the next installments of these titles are released.

The company revealed its FY2020Q4 earnings report last Feb. 4, where it announced “better-than-expected” results with $3.05 billion net bookings compared to the predicted $2.78 billion. But when talking about its future growth, Activision Blizzard seemingly implied that its major IPs might not contribute as much until 2022.

Activision Blizzard said expansions of the “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Candy Crush” titles are expected to “drive strong results” this year. The company noted that it had seen significant progress in its ongoing developments for “key” IPs. But the video game giant is only expecting these products to “fuel further growth in 2022 and beyond.”

While Activision Blizzard did not specifically mention “Overwatch 2” and “Diablo 4” in its quarterly results, these games are arguably the biggest games in development for the company. These games are technically not delayed since their developers have not even provided a release window yet for both titles. But this should help fans narrow down the most likely launch period for both games, which now seems to be anytime after 2021.

‘Overwatch 2’: What to expect

Not many details about “Overwatch 2” were announced since the sequel was confirmed. The game is going to be a full-fledged sequel while maintaining its core multiplayer features.

Some of the fan-favorite Heroes are expected to return with updated character models, including Sojourn and Echo. Blizzard Entertainment also teased the addition of at least four new playable characters for “Overwatch 2.”

Another ‘Diablo’ game could launch before ‘Diablo 4’

“Diablo 4” is equally as mysterious as “Overwatch 4.” However, fans of the franchise are expected to get a different game while they wait for its launch -- a remake of “Diablo 2.” Bloomberg reported that the project was transferred to Vicarious Visions from the “Warcraft 3: Reforged” team in 2020.