It’s hardly any secret that 2021 has not been a particularly good year for Blizzard. In fact, putting aside the Burning Crusade expansion from WoW Classic, and the rather well publicised internal scandals, this will mark yet another year where the company has brought practically nothing to the market. Well, ok, the Diablo 2 Remaster is officially out, but I’m still yet to play the damn thing since every time I go to try I’m held indefinitely in a server queue (yet another Blizzard title that already has me feeling buyers remorse). – Put simply, you have to start getting the feeling that the upcoming release of both Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 are exceptionally important for the developer. So important, in fact, that it could quite literally decide the future of the company.
While it was established back in the Summer that neither title would be released this year, however, following a report via DSOGaming, the news doesn’t get any better as Blizzard has just confirmed that both Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 have had to be pushed back even further!
Blizzard Confirms New Diablo 4/Overwatch 2 Delay
So, we were not getting Diablo 4 or Overwatch 2 this year. Despite this news, however, there were hopes that they might’ve arrived at some point in either early 2022 or, at the latest, around the Q3. Based on the statement issued by Blizzard, however, which you can check out below, it seems pretty evident that the recent problems and management shifts at the company have had an adverse effect.
So much, in fact, that at this point a release of either in 2022 doesn’t look overly optimistic.
Admittedly, Blizzard has (rather wisely I might add) always chosen to avoid giving any indication as to when either title would be released. Given that it’s been over 2 years now since they were originally confirmed, however, I daresay that many would’ve expected them to both be at least getting close. Close enough, at least, for there to be some indication as to when they should be arriving.
The bottom line, however, is that we don’t know. And this latest news certainly isn’t encouraging either!
What Do We Think?
It sounds dramatic to say that Blizzard is in a crisis. At the same time though, I find it difficult to come up with any other word to best suit the situation. Support for the company from its once monumental fanbase has dropped off a cliff in the last 5 years. Throw this in with ever-decreasing WoW subscribers, and the value of Blizzard does appear to be getting more and more diminished.
Activision has already made more than a few overtures that they are considering scrapping the studio entirely. Well, more accurately, simply reducing it to a shell to support what few relevant titles they still have on the market. – I have, however, regularly said over the last year that Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 will either secure or ruin Blizzard’s medium-term future. – At the same time though, a developer who isn’t releasing enough isn’t earning enough! – I sadly suspect that time is running out for Blizzard. I just hope that we get Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 before the last person in the building is left to turn out the lights!
What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!
