Like many live-service games, Blizzard has had to work hard to maintain the allure and relevancy ofOverwatch 2since its launch in October 2022. The title has found success in the consistent introduction of things like new playable heroes, maps, modes, and seasonal events, with this fresh content being absolutely necessary to fend off the large level of competition that hero shooters share within the gaming industry.
Despite this, there is a worry regarding just how farOverwatch 2can push this method of content delivery before many fans begin to lose interest, especially with other recent releases likeMarvel Rivalstaking up a huge amount of the genre’s spotlight. A lot of the current hype aroundOverwatch 2is centered around its return to the franchise’s roots with classic gameplay features once again being offered, although this is set to leave the title over the coming days. WithOverwatch 2needing to consolidate itself now more than ever, the game’s largest challenge could be just around the corner.
Overwatch 2 Will Need to Deal With Some Huge Blows Over the Coming Days
Overwatch 2released one of its most eye-catching updates in recent memory back in November withthe limited-time launch ofOverwatchClassic, which aimed to recreate the iconic metas and gameplay formulas of the originalOverwatch, right down to the older ability kits of the franchise’s earliest heroes. Many longstanding multiplayer titles have gone down this route to great success recently, such asFortnite’s OG mode, which has gone on to become a permanent staple of the massive battle royale title.
WhileOverwatchClassic has not been made into a permanent feature as things stand, Blizzard is clearly still open to some of the mode’s most defining elements, such as its 6v6 matches. In order to separate itself from its predecessor,Overwatch 2famously made the controversial decision to scale down to 5v5 gameplay, something that has always pushed many long-term fans away from the franchise’s latest iteration.
Thanks to the success ofOverwatchClassic,Blizzard has been trialing 6v6 gameplay as a main offering ofOverwatch 2, with the game trialing 6v6 role queues since December 17. This iteration of 6v6 testing sees each role locked to two players each, with testing set to end on January 7. It is true that another round of 6v6 testing will be added toOverwatch 2from January 21 to February 4, this time with a more lenient 1–3 players locked per role, although this creates a big down-time period whereOverwatch 2will return to its divisive 5v5 formula.
Marvel Rivals Success Leaves No Resting Room For Overwatch 2
Now more than ever, player retention is a massive issue forOverwatch 2thanks tothe extremely popular launch ofMarvel Rivals, another hero shooter that is seriously threatening to compete and extend beyond the reach ofOverwatch. WhileOW2has been able to shrug off other recent competitors like Sony’s short-livedConcord, the star-power and polished gameplay ofMarvel Rivalscreates a level of direct competition thatOverwatch 2cannot afford to falter within.
The return to 5v5 gameplay forOverwatch 2, while fairly brief, may be enough to lose a lot of the returning long-time fans who were drawn to the game’s return to originality, leaving the title in a perilous position asMarvel Rivalsbegins to strengthen itself with its own post-launch content. WhileOverwatch 2has done reasonably well to justify the big change away from its predecessor in 2022, the temporary removal of 6v6 testing is shaping up to be the largest challenge that the title may face in a very long time.
