Blizzard is finally taking the guardrails off of Overwatch 2

digitaltrends.com:

Table of Contents The perks of being a hero Turn and face the strange, ch-ch-changes

Since its launch, Blizzard’s free-to-play hero shooter Overwatch 2 has been through some serious peaks and valleys. Originally pitched as a sequel that would exist alongside the beloved original game and offer a new, layered PvE mode that expanded upon its hero’s abilities, the game players got in October 2022 was very different.

Overwatch 2 replaced the original game entirely, removed a player from every match (going from 6v6 to 5v5), and never delivered the promised PvE mode. The free-to-play swap came with accusations of predatory pricing and pay-to-win schemes, and back in August 2023, Activision Blizzard even admitted players were playing and spending less.

In recent months, Marvel Rivals, NetEase’s free-to-play hero shooter set in the comic book universe, has been eating Overwatch 2’s lunch, boasting higher player count and retention than other recent live-service titles like Helldivers 2 and Diablo IV. In the face of a dwindling player count, a frustrated core base, and the success of a direct competitor, Blizzard has to reinvigorateOverwatch 2 — and that’s exactly what the studio is doing.

Season 15 (which launches on February 18) and 16 (due in April) will introduce massive changes to the hero shooter that dwarf anything we’ve seen in its nearly decade-long history, from perks that add four new abilities to each hero in both Quick Play and Competitive modes, to Stadium, an entirely new mode that offers even more variety amongst a select roster of heroes.

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I traveled to Blizzard’s headquarters in Irvine, California for theOverwatch 2 Spotlight event, to try out the new perks, new high-skill damage hero