And yet, I remain hopeful. I’ve never been accused of being an optimist, but I think Overwatch 2 has a potential that the original was never going to realize. There’s plenty to criticize about Overwatch 2, but there’s also some things we can appreciate. Four or five years down the road, we may just find Overwatch 2 in a better position than Overwatch 2 Gundam Wing skins was ever going to be in. Blizzard has done a horrendous job marketing and championing this game, but allow me to take a stab at it: I think Overwatch 2 is a better game, and the things we hate are going to end up being necessary evils that ensure it stays alive and healthy for many years to c

Overwatch 2 might be the first sequel in history that players of the original begged the developers not to make. Through a small handful of gameplay changes and minor visual updates, it just barely manages to justify its own existence. It feels like it’s Blizzard’s attempt to restructure the monetization into a more profitable, industry-standard model, which people have rightly pointed out benefits the publisher, but doesn’t actually provide any value to the players. At first blush, Overwatch 2 comes across like a dark tulpa of the original - a product designed to increase profits and engagement without offering anything that meaningfully increases enjoyment. Within the broader context, Overwatch 2 follows this year’s Diablo: Immortal as just another anti-consumer title from a mega corp that used to actually care about its fans and reputation. There’s never been a particularly good answer to the question "Why does Overwatch 2 exist?", and I don’t anticipate there ever will

If you’re not intimately familiar with Overwatch, it might be hard to tell Overwatch 2 is even a different game. It has a few new characters and some new maps, a new game mode called Push, plus some subtle character redesigns, but it's largely the same game it's always been. But if you’ve been an active Overwatch player, a lot of the subtle changes have actually made a pretty big differe

For Overwatch 2 players, you have options for similar team-based shooters. The formula gets twisted and turned in all sorts of ways for a fresh take, but you can find the core elements that will scratch that itch. No matter what your platform of choice is, there is something for

While Overwatch has made for a truly fun and exhilarating competitive shooter, one key element it's been lacking is PvE. Sure, we've gotten limited-time events like Junkenstein's Revenge but these are few and far between and don't exactly have a ton of substa

Many big multiplayer titles - such as Sea Of Thieves most recently - are beginning to implement seasonal updates as they just make more sense for everyone rather than releasing an entirely new game. Developers can still make additional money from those juicy microtransactions and battle passes. Meanwhile, players don't have to wait around for a new game to drop to get new content. In some cases like with Fortnite , the games can even receive a graphical overhaul . So if you can update games to this degree, why bother with a sequel? It's a waste of time and mo

An all-time classic that is hard to pass up. Team Fortress 2 moved the needle in online shooters when it came to its distinctive characters and focus on completing objectives to take home that chicken din

Like the first Fitness Boxing , the game combines rhythmic music gameplay with fitness and arcade-style action. Its alluring rhythmic gameplay — which involves punching icons on cue in different ways — reminds players that sometimes less is more. And while not perfect, this sequel somewhat refines the detection of specific movements compared to its predecessor, allowing for more effective worko

The most apparent is the team size reduction. Overwatch 2 features 5v5 battles instead of 6v6, meaning both teams have one less tank in the fight. Opinions will vary, but I think it’s obvious that this is a huge improvement. Half the number of tanks means half the number of shields, which means fights are more active and exciting. Instead of both teams poking at each other from behind cover until everyone fires off their ults, every match is a constant back and forth. Getting picks has a much greater impact, so it’s easier to coordinate pushes with your team, even if you’re only communicating non-verbally. It’s a simpler, easier to follow spectator experience, which will help the Overwatch League reach a wider audience. Resizing the teams has an effect on every aspect of the game, and it’s been overwhelmingly posit

The grim reality is that the entire reason Overwatch 2 exists is to change the way Blizzard makes money. All of the meta changes, like the battle pass, Coin system, and locking new players out of content until they grind enough, are designed to increase revenue and engagement metrics. I don’t think we should ignore that or give Blizzard a pass, and if that’s enough to get you to give up on Overwatch 2 I don’t blame you. As someone who still loves the game, I’m willing to accept fewer free rewards if it means more frequent updates and better events. It’s simply too soon to write it off for me. I need to see how the devs respond to feedback and how much the game changes over the next year. None of this is ideal, but in the long run, it could end up being exactly what Overwatch nee