After Years of Struggle, Blizzard Has Found Itself in Uncharted Territory: Overwatch Players Are Having Fun Again – IGN
2025-04-30T14:46:41Z
After years of struggle, Blizzard Entertainment has found itself in uncharted territory: Overwatch players are having fun again.
After years of struggle, Blizzard Entertainment has found itself in uncharted territory: Overwatch players are having fun again.
The Overwatch team knows failure well. Its massive launch in 2016 was eventually dampened by divisive balance decisions, a disastrous launch for Overwatch 2 , a sea of negative reviews , the cancellation of PvE content – the list goes on. As each controversy was usually only followed by another, fans began to wonder if Blizzard would ever regain its footing or if the glory days of Overwatch were left in 2018. Following an invasion of fundamental changes, fans have determined Overwatch 2 is set up not only for the best lineup of content it’s seen in years but what might be the best state it’s ever been in.
To All Agents of Overwatch
On February 12, 2025, game director Aaron Keller assembled the Overwatch team to debut an Overwatch 2 Spotlight presentation that was said to explore “what the future holds.” With years of painful decisions in the rearview mirror, fans were split between fear and cautious optimism, leaving little room for excitement as it became clear this was a make-or-break moment for Blizzard. What followed was a 34-minute breakdown that included a detailed content release schedule, copious amounts of changes players had been pleading to see implemented for years, and, most importantly, transparency.
Where false, nigh unreachable promises plagued years past, Overwatch 2’s 2025 outline felt attainable. Damage and Support heroes Freja and Aqua made their debut here, as did Stadium, a revolutionary third-person Competitive mode poised to shake up the tedium of standard matches. Loot boxes, the controversial monetization tactic left behind when the original Overwatch was shuttered in 2022, were back with tweaks that made them more rewarding without a tie to real-world money. Perks gave all 43 characters a set of four unique, game-changing abilities, and Blizzard even managed to further detail its plan to bring back 6v6. It was a weighty list of tangible additions and more content than Overwatch players had seen since the launch of Overwatch 2 – and most of it would be added within only a few months.
Not gonna lie I had a lot of fun playing 6v6 perk watch today
It makes me really happy to say Overwatch actually has found the light on this path
Post bans, 6v6 open queue perkwatch is the best state the game has been in since 2020
Looks like hero shooters will stay winning! — Samito (@SamitoFPS) April 5, 2025
Now, in April, loot boxes, Freja, Stadium, Classic balance modes, and more have executed on Blizzard’s mission to turn the page to a new chapter of Overwatch. It’s been a much-needed break from the monotony of same-y seasonal content releases coupled with exceeded expectations for those who were, justifiably, worried the hero shooter would never be seen in a positive light again. There’s debate about what triggered such a radical change in strategy , but there is no denying Overwatch 2 is currently backed by a team that wants to see it succeed. This is a different Blizzard.
“They pulled themselves out the gutter with this one,” Reddit user Right_Entertainer324 said regarding the Overwatch 2 Spotlight. “Super excited for the future of Overwatch 2, for the first time in… Well, ever.”
Experience Tranquility
Through ups and downs, it’s been about seven years since Overwatch was the titan fans originally fell in love with. Even with the onslaught of kept promises bombarding players for both Season 15 and Season 16, Overwatch 2’s current season, your average fan has every reason to believe the other shoe could drop at any moment. It’s been that way since February, yet Blizzard is charging forward.
“ …the decisions of Aaron and the team have led the game to a healthy state of growth and competition. I think that deserves praise.
“Let’s be honest, (Overwatch 2’s) development history has been… troubled,” a popular post from Reddit user ImperialViking_ said. “When PvE was cancelled we all thought it was the end. Now, come Season 15, Overwatch has turned the corner and the future is looking super bright.”
They continued: “All in all I think it goes without saying that the devs have really been hitting it out of the park recently. People calling them ‘lazy’ is just plain wrong. There are OF COURSE still issues with (Overwatch), and there always will be, but the decisions of Aaron and the team have led the game to a healthy state of growth and competition. I think that deserves praise.”
Reddit, Discord, X/Twitter – there’s been a vibe shift on every platform where people can talk about Overwatch. Posts praising Stadium are all too likely to show up on fans’ feeds, as are comments from players thrilled Season 16 introduced Competitive hero bans. This long-requested feature finally made its proper debut last week, essentially giving players the option to never play with or against pesky heroes like Sombra ever again if they don’t want to.
Of course, Blizzard is only just lifting off when it comes to the journey to rebuild the goodwill it’s lost over the years. Overwatch fans surely won’t let it forget the damage done, but the change in attitude is undeniable.
Content creator Niandra, whose “Let’s Talk About the State of Overwatch 2” video examined the hero shooter with a fine-toothed comb last summer, remains cautious but tells us they feel “pretty good” about where things are at now. They believe fans are starting to come around, too, thanks to a few key additions.
“I think a particularly critical playerbase is to be somewhat expected with games that try to be your forever game and a part of your daily routine,” they explain, “but I think the (Overwatch) community is getting happier!
“ I wouldn’t be surprised if ex Overwatch players have curiously checked out the game again recently.
“It feels like the momentum of perks into Stadium and Freja has brought a lot of goodwill. Morale in the community felt really low during the release of Marvel Rivals and its following month, especially since Overwatch didn’t immediately respond with sweeping changes. Upon reflection, that was probably the correct move as Marvel Rivals is now having its own issues while Overwatch has released big changes. I wouldn’t be surprised if ex Overwatch players have curiously checked out the game again recently.”
Stadium has now established itself as a core component of Overwatch 2, but its importance doesn’t stop at the fresh gameplay it brings to the nine-year-old hero shooter. A game mode as radically different as this has players engaging in good-faith discussion about what could make it better. It will take time for the community to fully wrap its head around the value it could add to the free-to-play experience, but mostly, they’re just enjoying the ride.
One clear point of criticism has revolved around the fact that Stadium lacks a Quickplay option and, as a result, crossplay support. While it’s barred groups of friends on different platforms from testing out its many character builds and synergies, most assumed a mode in its infancy would be fleshed out with more features in future seasons. That, along with Blizzard’s usual reluctance to reveal its hand, is why it was so shocking to see concerns addressed just days after complaints emerged.
“God it is so nice seeing this,” one Reddit user commented after Blizzard promised to tackle highly requested features like crossplay . “Literal IMMEDIATE update on feedback they’ve been given. Making no promises but being transparent about what the feedback is and how they intend to handle it. I really do love this direction of community communication they’ve been on for the last year or so.”
Does This Mean Overwatch Is Back?
Overwatch has been a black sheep in gaming for a while. A once-great staple of the multiplayer world fell from grace and spent years finding new ways to fall further. Renewed faith and interest in what it can be isn’t proof that all wounds have been healed or that Overwatch 2 is now perfect, but it is a sign that it can claw its way back.
While the momentum is there, many agree that there is one trump card Blizzard could play to get its community fully invested in the future of Overwatch: traditional story cinematics. These narrative tie-ins each amassed millions of views upon release but were largely abandoned when Blizzard shifted its focus onto the game itself. Still, considering it helped draw a connection between players and the characters that hold the experience up, these videos remain one of the most desired – if not the most desired – components fans hope will return.
Have the recent Overwatch 2 changes done enough to convince you to return? Yes No Answer See Results
“It feels like Overwatch has spent the last few years focusing on just the game itself, which has been wonderful don’t get me wrong, but does mean the reach outside of it feels limited,” Niandra added. “Overwatch feels much like one very well-made PvP game, as opposed to the big multimedia franchise it has the potential to be, which is a shame considering all the praise its world-building and lore has gotten over the years.”
Following Blizzard’s February event, Overwatch has managed to jump from being the most negatively reviewed Steam game of all time to having “Mixed” reactions from players . As the team continues to invest in additions like Stadium and the long-awaited return to 6v6, its consistency in the long term will be the key in determining if Blizzard is able to reclaim all of the ground it’s lost. If the last few months are anything to go off of, it’s absolutely doable.
“I think we’ve entered a new golden age of Overwatch,” hero-shooter content creator and longtime Overwatch player Flats said during a recent livestream . “Overwatch is potentially in the best state it’s ever been, and it’s not even close. Better than the launch of Overwatch 2. Better than when the PvE missions ‘came out.’ Dare I say, better than Overwatch 1. The only time, maybe not, is 2016 hype when it first started – arguably.”
Play
Overwatch 2 Season 16 kicked off the next phase of Blizzard’s grand scheme last week. It introduced newcomer Freja as its latest Damage hero, with this week ushering in a mech-fueled Gundam collaboration . Future seasons are said to come with a Dva Mythic skin, a Reaper Mythic Weapon skin, additional Stadium characters, and more. Time will tell if it’s enough to revive Overwatch to its former glory.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
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