From 1,500,000 to less than 10,000 - why has Overwatch 2 PvP beta's viewer count reduced so radically?

sportskeeda.com:

There has been a lot of speculation over Overwatch 2 becoming a reality. Despite a few announcements nearly five years ago, the PvP testing only started in late April. The launch came with significant fanfare as the game quickly became one of the most-watched streams on Twitch. Fast forward a week, the euphoria seems to have seriously died down. While it might not worry Blizzard too much right now, such a sudden decline in numbers has certain possible reasons that should be noted.

Overwatch 2 is the hit game's sequel that completely changed the scene for hero-shooters. The larger reason why fans have been asking for a sequel for so long has to do with the success of the first game. On its face, some changes separate the two releases, with the recent title switching to a new 5v5. This is a major shift from the previous 6v6, which Blizzard hopes will make games faster. However, this change might be one of the many that have reduced the number of viewers.

A sequel will always have a direct link with its predecessor, but the problem with Overwatch 2 is its overreliance on similarities. While a radical change could not have been expected, fans can't be blamed for asking for more.

Much of the PvP beta has felt like an extension of the first game. Yes, new heroes like Sojourn have arrived on Overwatch 2. There are also changes to the map and existing heroes. However, many within the community have asked similar questions about how far from the original game is Overwatch 2, and if there are sufficient factors to help create its own identity.

Once someone looks deeper beyond the new hero and map rework, it simply looks like an enhanced skin of Overwatch. The change in team composition does little to create any significant difference.