In a major announcement, Blizzard Entertainment revealed that it will soon bring some of its games to Valve’s Steam library. The title making the first move is its popular hero shooter multiplayer game, Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 on Steam: Why is it a Big Deal?

Games launched by Blizzard have always been exclusive to the company’s proprietary game launcher, Battle.net. But now, the studio has announced that it will launch Overwatch 2 on Steam first, while the rest of the games follow soon after. As per the official announcement, Blizzard stated that it wishes to make it “easier for players everywhere to find and enjoy our games.” So, moving to Steam was the best choice, considering it’s the largest and most popular PC store for games.

Blizzard is likely making the shift owing to the state of Overwatch 2. In its latest quarterly earnings report ahead of its Microsoft merger, the gaming studio revealed that player engagement and investment in Overwatch 2 have declined. This isn’t surprising since the player base has been voicing out their dissatisfaction with the game’s recent state (in terms of balance) and criticised the cancellation of the campaign Hero mode that was promised ahead of Overwatch 2’s launch.

When does Overwatch 2 hit Steam Shelves?

Blizzard Entertainment will be launching the game on Steam on 10th August 2023. Interestingly, the Steam launch also coincides with the release of its first PvE mode (Overwatch 2: Invasion). But you’ll have to pay a $15 fee to experience this content. Players on Steam gain access to various features of the platform, including achievements, a friends list, and the ability to invite their friends directly from Steam. This is just the first step since Blizzard will be sharing more about bringing other games to this platform “when the time is right.”