Overwatch 2's User Reviews Soar from Abysmal to Mixed

Overwatch 2 Season 15: A Resurgence Fueled by Change and Competition

Overwatch 2, once holding the dubious title of Steam's worst-reviewed game, is experiencing a surprising resurgence thanks to Season 15. This follows a turbulent period marked by controversies, including the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode and significant backlash against its monetization strategies. In August 2023, the game hit rock bottom on Steam user reviews, largely due to criticisms surrounding its transition from a premium title to a free-to-play sequel.

However, Season 15 has injected new life into the game. While still holding a "mostly negative" overall rating, recent reviews show a significant shift towards "mixed," with 43% of the 5,325 reviews submitted in the last 30 days being positive. This positive swing is largely attributed to the substantial gameplay changes introduced in Season 15, including the addition 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 reviews praise the update, highlighting its return to core gameplay elements that resonated with players of the original Overwatch, while simultaneously introducing engaging new mechanics. The impact of the successful competitor, Marvel Rivals, is also undeniable.

The emergence of Marvel Rivals, a similar hero shooter boasting 40 million downloads since its December launch, has created a new competitive landscape. Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged this increased competition, stating that the success of Marvel Rivals has pushed Blizzard to adopt a more aggressive and innovative approach to Overwatch 2's development, moving away from a "playing it safe" strategy.

Despite the positive momentum, it's premature to declare Overwatch 2's complete comeback. The game's Steam reviews still exhibit volatility, suggesting sustained improvement will be challenging. Nevertheless, Season 15 has resulted in a near doubling of peak concurrent players on Steam, reaching approximately 60,000. It's important to remember that these figures only represent Steam players; the game's overall player base across Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox remains undisclosed. For comparison, Marvel Rivals recently recorded 305,816 peak concurrent players on Steam.