Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 delays tested fans for years, but their releases delivered epic worlds, fierce action, and a wait worth enduring.

Back in 2021, I was glued to my Twitter feed, refreshing every five minutes like a junkie chasing a fix, when Geoff Keighley dropped the gut punch: neither Diablo 4 nor Overwatch 2 would hit shelves that year. Fast-forward to 2026, and I still can’t believe how long that wait dragged on—though now, having sunk 300+ hours into both games, I can finally say it was worth every agonizing second. Let’s rewind to that chaotic 2021 earnings call, when Activision Blizzard broke the hearts of millions of fans who’d been hyped since BlizzCon 2019.

Back then, I’d already burned through Diablo III: Reaper of Souls so many times I could recite the plot of Act V in my sleep. The last major Diablo release had been in 2013, and by 2021, the franchise felt like a rusted sword left out in the rain—we’d heard whispers of a Diablo II remaster, but that wasn’t enough to scratch the itch for a brand-new, dark fantasy adventure. When Diablo 4 was announced at BlizzCon 2019, the hype was off the charts: a gritty, open-world take on the dungeon-crawler RPG, with a story that promised to dive deep into the franchise’s grim lore. I’d even made a custom gaming rig just to run it at max settings, only to have my plans dashed when Activision Blizzard pushed the release to 2022 at the earliest.

The Overwatch 2 delay stung just as bad, if not worse. The original Overwatch had been my go-to competitive game for years— I’d spent countless nights grinding ranked matches with my squad, yelling at my screen when we lost a crucial point, and celebrating like we’d won the lottery when we hit Grandmaster. By 2021, the esports scene was struggling, and we all hoped Overwatch 2 would be the shot in the arm the franchise needed. We were dying to see the expanded PvE content, cross-platform play, and new characters that had been teased— I’d even started practicing with a controller so I could play with my friends on console. When the delay was announced, my squad had a group chat meltdown; we’d already planned a launch day marathon, complete with custom jerseys and a mountain of energy drinks, that we had to scrap at the last minute.

In the years between the 2021 delay and the games’ eventual releases, the fanbase went through every emotion under the sun. At first, we were furious—we’d waited two years already, and now we had to wait even longer? Then we were anxious, wondering if the delays meant the games were broken, or if Activision Blizzard was struggling to get them right. Rumors swirled nonstop: some said Diablo 4 was being reworked from the ground up, others claimed Overwatch 2 was being turned into a free-to-play game (which, as it turned out, was true). I even started a spreadsheet to track every rumor, update, and leak— it got so bad my roommate joked I should turn it into a podcast.

When Diablo 4 finally dropped in 2023, it was like a weight had been lifted. The open world was even more immersive than we’d imagined, the story was dark and emotional, and the gameplay was as addictive as ever. I spent the first week playing 12 hours a day, skipping work (don’t tell my boss) and neglecting my social life— it was exactly what I’d been craving for a decade. Overwatch 2 followed a few months later, and while the free-to-play model had its growing pains, the PvE content and cross-platform play were everything we’d hoped for. My squad even got back together for launch day, and we pulled off that marathon we’d planned back in 2021—this time, we didn’t have to cancel.

Looking back now, in 2026, that 2021 delay feels like a distant memory. Sure, it sucked at the time—waiting for something you’re hyped for is like watching a pot of water boil, it feels like it takes forever. But both games turned out to be worth the wait, and now I’m already hyped for the upcoming expansions. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this whole experience, it’s that good things come to those who wait—even if that wait feels like an eternity. And hey, at least I got to use that custom gaming rig for Diablo 4—it was worth every penny, even if I had to wait three extra years to put it to good use.