Overwatch 2 has had to fight hard to justify its nature as a sequel since its launch in late 2022, with the game’s post-launch seasons introducing a lot of content over the years to further differentiate the title from its popular 2016 predecessor. As expected, Overwatch 2 has attempted to carve its own identity through things like new game modes, maps, and a range of new playable heroes, although more ambitious changes like a PvE campaign have sadly fallen to the wayside.
Aside from the divisive change to 5v5 gameplay in Overwatch 2, Blizzard recently added one major overhaul to the title’s core mechanics by introducing a comprehensive perk system to the game. While many long-term fans of the franchise have taken an interest in how this range of perks can alter the team dynamics and individual capabilities of Overwatch‘s many heroes, there is still clear room for the perk system to grow, with a third level of perk unlocks being a potential route that would be an excellent twist on OW2‘s lengthier matches.
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A Fourth Level of Overwatch 2 Perks Could Be a Game Changer
Perks were officially added to Overwatch 2 in February as a staple of the game’s 15th in-game season, named Honor and Glory. The concept of perks was officially introduced to Overwatch as an intended part of OW2‘s controversially scrapped PvE campaign mode, and while this idea seems to have been officially scrapped, Blizzard has done well to salvage the PvE perk mechanic by making it work within the context of standard PvP.
The addition of perks to Overwatch 2 sees players start each game with a level one hero, with impactful gameplay providing experience points that can see players progress to the maximum of level three. Upon reaching level two, players gain access to a minor perk for a given hero, leading to a choice between two optional perks that can offer some great statistical twists to certain abilities.
There are already over 150 perks for players to choose from across Overwatch 2‘s playable heroes, with there still being huge room for expansion by Blizzard in terms of new perks going forward.
This allows the player to tailor their gameplay to a specific playstyle over the course of a game, with level three unlocking a major perk choice that can completely rework how certain heroes play on the battlefield. As things stand, perks act as an excellent way to reward good gameplay in Overwatch 2, with players now racing to unlock perks alongside the usual importance of charging ultimate abilities, but a fourth hero level with its own unique perk offering could be a logical evolution of the current system.
Four Levels of Perks Could Revolutionize Overwatch 2 Matches That Go Down to the Wire
A fourth perk level in Overwatch 2 would be the perfect mechanic for long-running games that go well into overtime, with standard games not lasting long enough for many players to realistically go beyond level three. Successfully reaching level four over the course of a match could unlock an “ultimate perk” that leans specifically into the importance of late-game zonal control and respawn times, adding a rare but engaging new dynamic to the tensest gameplay that Overwatch offers.
This would most likely not have an impact on Overwatch 2‘s competitive play due to how perks reset every round in ranked playlists, though a fourth perk tier could be an excellent way to bring even more chaos to unranked games that go the full distance. With the perk experience earning rate in Overwatch 2 doubling after seven in-game minutes, a late-game burst of level four unlocks could easily be achieved in lengthy matches, taking the player freedom and personalization of the currently well-received perk system and expanding it in a logical and high-octane way.
- Released
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August 10, 2023
- ESRB
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T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence