"Overwatch 2 Aims for Free Heroes and Hero Banning to Level the Playing Field"

The Overwatch 2 development team plans to make all heroes free upon release in response to backlash over locking them behind seasonal battle passes. Executive Producer Jared Neuss acknowledged the issue of competitive advantage and stated that the team is actively working towards a goal of making heroes free, although no timeline or implementation details were provided. The decision comes as the game continues to add more heroes with unique abilities, emphasizing the importance of counter-picking in gameplay.