Well, it seems like we finally saw the full deck for Activision Blizzard's intended model for F2P. Starting with the release of Overwatch 2 on October 4, the game will enter a new era in which seasonal content is delivered through a Battle Pass that will have free and premium tiers. Activision Blizzard also made a new trailer showing off the Battle Pass for Season 1, which you can see below:
The thing you can say about the Battle Pass model that Overwatch 2 takes is that it definitely isn't loot boxes. The Battle Pass has multiple benefits for its users for both of its tiers. The Free tier gives players access to the following content:
Newest support hero, Kiriko (Level 55)2 Legendary Skins2 Weapon Charms2 Souvenirs1 Highlight Intro15 additional items (list types, emotes, etc)The Premium Tier is for players who want to have more content alongside emotes and skins. The Overwatch 2 premium battle pass features over 80 tiers to unlock and instantly gives you access to any new heroes. It will also give you access to a 15% XP battle pass boost, a mythic skin, epic skin, legendary skins, new Play of the Game intros, and much more. Here's what you can get for 1,000 Overwatch Coins (or $10 USD):
Immediate access to Kiriko15% XP Battle Pass Boost1 Mythic Skin5 Legendary Skins2 Epic Skins3 Play of the Game Intros4 Weapon Charms3 Emotes3 Souvenirs6 PosesIt also should be noted that as Seasons progresses, players will see updates to the Overwatch 2 shop, which will feature a new "Just For You" section tailored with items related to the heroes you most frequently play as. The shop is also where you can purchase the Premium Battle Pass. It's also worth noting that new heroes like Kiriko will not appear in Competitive modes at the start of a season.
According to Blizzard, there is a purpose behind excluding new heroes from competitive play at the start of a Season in Overwatch 2. Firstly, it gives their team time to monitor the hero and make necessary adjustments. Secondly, it gives free track players the chance to unlock and learn the new hero before they have to face off against them.
New Heroes will be introduced to the game every alternate Season. Seasons 1 and 2 will have a new hero. After that, new heroes will be released with Seasons 4, 6, and so on.
It's also worth noting that players who miss out on their chance to unlock heroes during certain seasons will still be able to do so through weekly challenges. Either that or you can directly buy them with Overwatch coins. It also should be worth noting that the Overwatch coins can be earned through those weekly challenges. However, the game will seemingly not provide any coin rewards in the Premium version of the Battle Pass itself. Overwatch 2 will be available on October 4, 2022.