Overwatch 2 Recovers from Negative Reviews

Overwatch 2 Season 15: A Resurgence Fueled by Change?

Overwatch 2, once holding the dubious title of Steam's worst-reviewed game, is experiencing a surprising resurgence thanks to Season 15. Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch's debut and two and a half years after Overwatch 2's launch, the game's reception is shifting. The initial wave of overwhelmingly negative reviews, largely centered around monetization controversies and the controversial transition from a premium title to a free-to-play model, significantly impacted its reputation. Further fueling the negative sentiment was the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode.

While the overall Steam user review rating remains "mostly negative," recent reviews paint a more optimistic picture. A significant portion (43%) of the 5,325 reviews submitted in the last 30 days were positive, marking a notable improvement to a "mixed" rating. This shift is largely attributed to Season 15's significant gameplay overhaul, including the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Player feedback reflects this positive shift. Recent positive reviews praise the update, stating it represents the game's true potential, unburdened by previous monetization concerns. The comparison to the highly successful Marvel Rivals, a similar hero shooter boasting 40 million downloads, has also influenced Blizzard's approach.

Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the intensified competition in a GamesRadar interview, emphasizing that Blizzard is adopting a more proactive and less risk-averse strategy. While the game's future remains uncertain, and achieving a consistently positive rating remains a challenge, Season 15 has undeniably boosted player numbers on Steam, nearly doubling peak concurrent players to 60,000. It's important to note that these figures only represent Steam; total player counts across all platforms (Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox) are unavailable. For comparison, Marvel Rivals recently recorded 305,816 peak concurrent players on Steam. The success of Season 15 suggests a potential turning point for Overwatch 2, though sustained improvement remains to be seen.