Overwatch 2's Season 15 is proving to be a turning point, significantly improving player sentiment and marking a dramatic shift from its previous status as Steam's worst-reviewed game. Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch's debut and two and a half years after Overwatch 2's launch, the game faced immense backlash, particularly regarding its monetization strategy and the controversial shift to a free-to-play model that rendered the original unplayable. Further controversies, including the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, fueled the negative reception.
While still holding a "mostly negative" overall Steam rating, recent reviews reveal a notable improvement to "mixed," with 43% of the 5,325 reviews from the past 30 days being positive. This positive shift is largely attributed to Season 15's significant changes, including the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes. These core gameplay alterations, alongside the expected new content additions outlined in the roadmap, have resonated positively with players.
Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots
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Player reviews reflect this change: "They just released Overwatch 2," one recent positive review states. "The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way.” Another enthusiastic player commented, “For once, I must come to Overwatch's defense and say they really have stepped up their game. Going back to what worked in Overwatch 1 while introducing new and fun mechanics. Now we just gotta wait for next season with an actual cooler battlepass.” This last comment alludes to the popularity of Marvel Rivals, a competing hero shooter with over 40 million downloads since its December launch.
In an interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the intensified competition presented by Marvel Rivals' success and its impact on Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2. Keller described the situation as "exciting" and praised Marvel Rivals for taking established Overwatch ideas in "a different direction." However, he also admitted that Marvel Rivals' success has forced Blizzard to adopt a more proactive and less risk-averse strategy for Overwatch 2, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe."
While it's premature to declare Overwatch's complete resurgence, Season 15's impact is undeniable. Steam player numbers have nearly doubled, reaching a peak of 60,000 concurrent players. It's important to note that these figures represent only the Steam player base; Overwatch 2's availability on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox means the total player count is significantly higher, though those numbers are not publicly released. For comparison, Marvel Rivals recently boasted 305,816 peak concurrent players on Steam. The fluctuating Steam reviews suggest a challenging path ahead for Overwatch 2 to consistently improve its rating beyond "mixed," regardless of future updates.
