Four new Overwatch maps revealed during Overwatch 2 announcement

Fariha Bhatti Published 03/11/2019

As part of the unveiling of Overwatch 2, a slew of new maps were revealed.

The four locations that were shown include Monte Carlo, Gothenburg, Rio de Janeiro, and Toronto. Each of the new maps will arrive in both Overwatch 1 and 2, but according to Jeff Kaplan, there will be some differences.

Rio will host one of the Overwatch 2-exclusive Story Missions. According to Kaplan, the level will be twice the size of maps from the first game, though it is unclear if the other maps will be similarly sprawling.

Bits and pieces of the map were showcased during the Overwatch 2 gameplay trailer, which heavily featured Brazillian character Lucio. It seems as though he will be integral to the story associated with the map, which may also reveal how he becomes affiliated with the Overwatch team.

The second map that enjoyed prolonged screen time during the gameplay trailer was Toronto. Unlike Rio, Toronto was mainly used to reveal details about new core game mode Push. As a Push map, the Canadian city is designed with a symmetrical layout, allowing both teams an equal chance of victory.

The map was also playable as part of the Overwatch 2 demo at Blizzcon, and was streamed on Twitch by those invited to the event. The map also seems to have different weather effects, as snow could be seen falling during some of the streams.

Monte Carlo, Gothenburg to follow Rio de Janeiro and Toronto as new Overwatch maps

Monte Carlo and Gothenburg were given less press, but screenshots of the two locations were shared during the Overwatch “What’s Next?” presentation. Many are speculating that Monte Carlo will be another Push map, as one of the screenshots shown has a similar UI to Toronto. This is unconfirmed however, as details regarding Overwatch 2’s HUD are not yet certain.

Gothenburg is the hometown of both Torbjorn and Brigitte and it seems as though the map will pay homage to that. There is a factory therein that includes signage for the Ironclad Guild, a group that includes Torbjorn. Its logo can be seen on him and on Bastion’s updated model.

According to Kaplan, each of the maps were designed with authenticity in mind, as each team had at least one employee onboard with a connection to the city. The development team went through great pains to have the cities feel familiar to those who live in their real-life counterparts.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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