This month, Overwatch 2 fans are experiencing a little déjà vu thanks to Overwatch Classic. The addition of Overwatch Classic, which takes players back to the original version of Overwatch that launched in 2016, is thrilling – but it comes with a major caveat: it’s a limited-time event, running from November 12th to December 2nd. But if Overwatch 2 really wants to make its mark, it should make Classic a permanent game mode.
There’s something that must be said: the launch version of our beloved Overwatch is not the best version of the game. Some characters (like D.Va) are borderline unplayable compared to their current versions, while other heroes (like Bastion) are outrageously overpowered. Imbalance was the name of the game, and the lack of hero limit made for some genuinely outrageous team compositions, including 2 Cassidys, 2 Winstons, and 2 Lucios, or 5 Winstons and a single Lucia healing/speeding giant monkeys around the map. It was, for lack of a better word, absolutely bonkers. For those who started their journey with Overwatch 2, the key difference between the original Overwatch and its current state is the team composition. Now, matches are 5v5, with each team comprising a tank hero, two supports, and two damage characters. Originally, it was 6v6, allowing you to play any character you liked.
Then there were specific character abilities and kits that are no longer. Who could forget the joy of Symmetra having six turrets and a gun that locks onto the enemy, eventually getting so strong that it’d chew through tanks like nobody’s business? Or Mercy’s game-shattering ultimate that allowed her to revive her entire fallen team with a single button press? While these don’t need to return to Overwatch 2, Classic mode could resurrect the pure carnage and game-shifting seconds that the current game lacks.
Less is more
Despite the chaos, for a newcomer, it feels less overwhelming than Overwatch 2. The current game is jampacked with over 30 maps and 41 heroes, with new ones being consistently added throughout the year. That’s an awful lot to get a handle on for newbies. Conversely, at launch, there were 12 maps and a far more manageable 21 heroes. As Overwatch Classic evolves over the next few weeks, additional maps and characters will be added, but it’ll still be more manageable than Overwatch 2 in its current state. The Classic version provides new players a chance to come to grips with the foundations of what Overwatch once was, which will ultimately allow them to be much better players when they’re ready to tackle Overwatch 2.
But within that expansive universe was an outstanding amount of fun. Yes, Overwatch 2 has plenty to enjoy, but there’s something indescribably wonderful about the rawness of the original Overwatch. There’s an instant nostalgia waiting in Overwatch Classic for those who have been with the game from the beginning – and enticingly, a reason for those who haven’t played the game in years to make a triumphant return. Having the Classic mode last just a few weeks provides a certain level of temptation for certain gamers, but what exactly is the appeal of going back to something for just a couple of weeks, when keeping the game mode permanent could bring back a much larger number of gamers who long for the days of 6v6 Overwatch?
Classic mode could resurrect the pure carnage and game-shifting seconds that the current game lacks.
That’s not to say Overwatch 2 is worse than the original. But the 5v5 format is fundamentally different to what so many of us adored with the original. Especially those of us who poured thousands of hours into becoming a tank main (all hail Orisa). Keeping Classic as a permanent mode allows for more flexibility than ever before. You could shift through various metas in history, allowing you to relive various glory days. Need a good game with the triple tank-dominated GOATS meta? Prefer letting Mercy run wild in MOTHS? Want to play a game when Roadhog had to stop moving to heal himself? Classic could fulfill that desire.
Making Overwatch Classic a permanent mode effectively allows everyone who plays Overwatch the chance to have their cake and eat it too. Long for the days of 6v6 combat, and particularly the thrill of playing with not one, but two tanks? Classic’s got you covered. Fancy the 5v5 game that’s evolved in Overwatch 2? Have no fear, it’d still be present and accounted for. So Blizzard, if you’re listening: give the people the best of both worlds and give us Classic permanently.
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