| Overwatch 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
| Release Date | |
|---|---|
| August 10, 2023 (PC) More Details |
|
| Genre | |
| Action, Shooter, Multiplayer | |
| Platforms | Price (MSRP) |
     |
Free-to-Play |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. | Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. |
| Number of Players | Age Rating |
| 1-5 (Team-based Online Multiplayer) | Teen |
| Time to Finish | Cross Platform Play |
| N/A | Yes |
| Official Website | Official Website for Overwatch 2 |
Overwatch 2 Latest News
⚫︎ Marvel Rivals Soars as Overwatch 2 Steam Player Count Fall (Game8)
⚫︎ Rebel Against the Ordinary in Overwatch 2 – Season 14 (Blizzard)
⚫︎ A Blast to the Past Begins with Overwatch: Classic (Game8)
⚫︎ Overwatch 2 6v6 Match Format Makes Comeback (Game8)
⚫︎ Overwatch 2 Cancels PvE Content Despite Vocal Desire For It Due to Poor Sales (Game8)
Overwatch 2 Overview
Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play first-person hero shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, released on October 4, 2022, for PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
It is a sequel to the 2016 hit Overwatch and features team-based multiplayer matches with an emphasis on strategy, coordination, and unique hero abilities. Players select from a roster of heroes divided into three roles—Damage, Tank, and Support—to compete in objective-based 5v5 matches across various game modes, including the new Push mode.
Set in a futuristic Earth, Overwatch 2 builds on its predecessor with updated graphics, new maps, heroes, and lore that centers around the reformation of the Overwatch task force to combat rising global threats. It introduces a battle pass system for cosmetics and cross-platform progression, alongside seasonal updates for certain events like Halloween and Christmas.
| Steam |
Battle.net |
Nintendo |
|||
| PlayStation |
Xbox |
||||
| Price | Free-to-Play | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overwatch 2 Gameplay
Overwatch 2 is a team-based first-person shooter where two teams of five players compete in objective-focused matches. Each player selects a hero from a diverse roster, with each character featuring unique weapons, abilities, and ultimate powers tailored to specific roles such as damage, tank, or support.
Gameplay revolves around dynamic firefights across varied map layouts, with heroes leveraging their abilities to attack, defend, or provide utility to teammates. Maps also feature interactive elements, including healing points for recovery and objectives that teams must capture or defend to secure victory.
Matches begin with players choosing their heroes, followed by objective-driven gameplay that varies by mode. Players can switch heroes at their team’s spawn room during the match, but teams cannot have duplicate heroes. Victory is typically determined by fulfilling objectives, either by completing them first or achieving the most progress.
Compared to the original game, Overwatch 2 introduces several updates, including a shift to 5v5 team compositions. This adjustment reduces team size and sharpens the focus on each hero’s role in engagements. Tank heroes were also reworked to play more aggressively, moving away from their traditionally defensive roles in the previous iteration of the game.
Overwatch 2 Reviews
A Questionable Sequel That Didn’t Deliver on its Promises
At launch, Overwatch 2 received a mixed to positive reception, with opinions settling into more critical territory as 2024 progressed. Early praise focused on the game's new maps, heroes, and game modes, including the well-received Push
mode, which quickly became a fan favorite.
Simon Cardy from IGN described Overwatch 2 as revitalizing the series in some ways while stifling it in others. They considered the 5v5 format as a great way to pull the game out of the stagnant meta swamp the previous game found itself stuck in, but the removal of 2 players in each game prevented it from shining as a proper multiplayer game experience. Cardy concluded that while the game was enjoyable at launch, its ability to recapture the original’s success remained uncertain.
Similarly, Gamespot’s Jessica Cogswell noted the game’s strengths and shortcomings in their review, writing that Overwatch 2 felt like a fantastic update to a beloved multiplayer game where it counts. As a sequel, however, they considered it a stumble across all facets.
Metacritic similarly gave the game high-ish marks for its solid gameplay and presentable visuals and audio, but also ceded that the game does not flip the original’s script in any meaningful way. Yet again, its status as a sequel is considered questionable at best.
Player feedback on platforms like Reddit and Steam was far less forgiving, focusing on issues such as Blizzard's unfulfilled promises and controversial monetization strategies. Many users criticized the emphasis on battle pass sales over delivering a distinctive experience separate from the first game.
A significant turning point for public perception came with the handling of the game’s promised PvE mode. Touted as a major feature at launch, its absence ultimately diminished the game’s appeal for many players, casting a shadow over its long-term reception.
Overwatch 2 Announcement Trailer
Overwatch 2 Announce Cinematic | “Zero Hour”
Overwatch 2 Trivia
⚫︎ Anna’s scoped sniper shots are the only hitscan attacks in the game that don’t have damage fall off. This is likely due to the attack’s unique nature, where it deals its damage over time to the target instead of all at once.
⚫︎ Symmetra is the hero with the highest number of skill reworks and changes, with her entire kit receiving a rework at least once since the original Overwatch.
⚫︎ In the Honor and Glory cinematic for Overwatch, Brigitte is shown with a tattoo on her left shoulder. However, this tattoo is notably absent from her in-game model in both Overwatch and Overwatch 2.
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