Blizzard’s hero-based first-person shooterOverwatch 2is struggling to retain players just nine months after its hugely successful early access launch. Going live with three new heroes, new maps, and the new Push mode in October 2022,Overwatch 2refreshed a multiplayer shooter that had previously been cursed with several years of stagnation. In the months since launch, the sequel has added two new heroes in Ramattra and Lifeweaver, and two more maps with the promise of a hero-based PvE story mode to come.
Many players feltOverwatch 2was too iterative, essentially feeling more like an update than a wholly new game. The story-based PvE Hero mode was the one fresh experience that players felt justified the sequel. With customizable abilities and skill trees, this Hero mode seemed like something players have been wanting since the originalOverwatchseven years ago. However, in May, just seven months after launch, theOverwatchteam announced the Hero mode’s cancelation, disappointing andfrustrating large swaths of theOverwatchfanbasein the process.
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Now, it seems thatOverwatch 2struggles are continuing. Activision Blizzard, in a Q2 2023 earnings release, revealed thatOverwatch 2’s player count and “player investment” have declined over the past quarter. In the same report, Blizzard pointed toward theupcoming Season 6: Invasion updateto potentially improve engagement asOverwatch 2’s largest season yet, bringing a new support hero, Flashpoint game mode, co-op PvE missions, and more.
It’s tough for any live service title to survive in today’s gaming climate no matter how large the brand or studio behind it, or how successful the initial launch. However, Blizzard’s cancelation of the PvE Hero mode was very likely a key contributing factor inOverwatch 2’s declining numbers. Many players felt the company had broken a promise with the scrapping of the mode, as it was a key selling point Blizzard used to garner hype and buzz around the sequel. While each new season over the past nine months has been bringing a sufficient amount of new cosmetics, limited modes, and events to the table, new heroes joining the roster only every other season hasn’t helped. Combined with the fact that the most recent official Blizzard map that’s been added to the game was theAntarctic Peninsula Control mapback in February, and it’s no wonder whyOverwatch 2has begun to struggle.
As theAugust 10 release of Season 6: Invasioncontinues to draw nearer,Overwatch 2’s player counts could see a much-needed jump. New heroes and modes always generate buzz around theOverwatchcommunity and beyond, so with Invasion bringing both to the table, as well as PvE co-op missions, the new season could be the shot in the arm the sequel has been needing. It will be interesting to see whereOverwatch 2stands come October when the sequel reaches its first anniversary.
Overwatch 2is available now in early access for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
