There’s no escaping that Overwatch 2 has not been the hugely successful upgrade that Blizzard hoped it would be. However, thanks to the introduction of a new strategic layer with its Perks system, a rank reset, and the return of loot boxes, Season 15 appears to be turning things around, albeit at a modest pace. The subreddit is awash with positivity, Overwatch 2’s Steam user review score is on the up, and its player count has surged.
The evolution (or devolution, as some disgruntled players may call it) from Overwatch to Overwatch 2 feels like it’s never been able to escape negativity. Broken promises, review bombing, controversy around new hero launches, and everything else in between. The addition of Overwatch Classic was a welcome, nostalgia-packed return to its roots, but the game has rarely caught a break over the last couple of years since the transition. Well, Season 15 could be the turning point, or at the very least a rare period of smiles and satisfaction for Overwatch 2.
The Perks system appears to be going over extremely well with the Overwatch community. It’s been crying out for a serious shakeup to the FPS game’s multiplayer action for a while, and boy do Perks deliver it. Adding a new strategic element, each hero now has two minor and two major Perks that you can choose from at certain moments during a match. You’ll progress to the minor Perk first, and make a decision based on your playstyle, the current match situation, or the team composition of your opposition as to which will make the biggest impact. Then once you reach your major Perk, you’ll have an even tougher decision to make between the two options, as they can transform your hero’s abilities and ultimates in powerful ways.
Even though new hero Freja won’t fully launch until next season, she’s not really missed right now – Perks are making every single hero feel fresh, to an extent. Of course, with the start of a new competitive year there’s always some renewed interest from players that have had ranks reset, or those that see it as a fresh opportunity to get back into ranked play. But with Perks, the gameplay itself feels new and exciting too, rather than just the prospect of rushing up the tiers.
The other big headline change in Season 15 is the reintroduction of loot boxes. Of course, loot boxes have negative connotations, but in Overwatch 2’s case, they provide a welcome way for you to unlock new cosmetics through in-game progression, or straight up cash if you want.
There’s also a general sense of optimism for what’s to come throughout the rest of the year as well. Season 16 is going to bring a third core experience to Overwatch 2 called Stadium, which will throw you into a fast-paced, best-of-seven mini series that will feature various streamlined versions of core game modes. For the first time, it’ll also let you play in third-person, and it’ll feature buy rounds where you can acquire mods that enhance your gameplay.
So what’s the result of all this positivity and optimism? On Steam, at least, Overwatch 2 saw a healthy spike in players on Season 15’s launch day yesterday, February 18. Its peak concurrent player count topped out at just under 60,000, which is roughly double the figures it was achieving in the weeks leading up to the new season. It’s still a little way off its all-time peak record of 75,608 that it achieved at launch, but it’s still a strong increase.
The more encouraging news is that its Steam user reviews are looking much rosier. While they are admittedly still disappointing in comparison to some of the best multiplayer games on the platform, its 30-day user score (which is largely influenced by a flurry of reviews since Season 15 dropped) sits at a ‘mixed’ 42%, which is noticeably better than its dismal lifetime score of 22%. I’m certainly not saying that Blizzard should be celebrating this with a party, but progress is progress.
Whether Overwatch 2 can sustain this modest but encouraging uptick remains to be seen, but big transformational changes like Perks and Stadium are its best bet at doing so. If you’re still not convinced to give OW2 a go or return to the game after some time away, here are some other free PC games we recommend you try. Alternatively, take a look at what’s on the horizon with our upcoming PC games guide.
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