Overwatch 2's Steam Reviews Surge to 'Mixed' After Hitting Rock Bottom

Overwatch 2 Season 15 is making waves, significantly boosting the sentiment around a game that was once labeled as the worst ever user-reviewed on Steam. Launched nearly nine years after the original Overwatch debuted in 2016 and two-and-a-half years following the release of Overwatch 2, the game faced intense scrutiny, particularly in August 2023, when it became infamous for its negative user reviews. The criticism largely centered around its monetization model, especially after Blizzard transitioned the premium original into a free-to-play sequel, making the original unplayable in 2022. Further fueling discontent was the cancellation of the much-anticipated PvE Hero mode, which many believed was the sequel's raison d'être.

Despite still holding a 'mostly negative' overall user review rating on Steam, recent reviews have shifted to 'mixed,' with 43% of the 5,325 user reviews from the last 30 days being positive. This improvement, though modest, marks a significant milestone for Overwatch 2, which has struggled with overwhelming negativity since its launch on Valve's platform.

The turnaround can be attributed to the impactful changes introduced with Season 15. Alongside the expected new content, the core gameplay has undergone a seismic shift with the addition of hero perks and the return of loot boxes. These changes have resonated well with the community, as reflected in recent positive reviews. One reviewer stated, "They just released Overwatch 2. The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way." Another praised the game's evolution, saying, "For once, I must come to Overwatch's defense and say they really have stepped up their game. Going back to what worked in Overwatch 1 while introducing new and fun mechanics to the game. A certain game made them LOCK IN and I couldn't be happier. Now we just gotta wait for next season with an actual cooler battlepass."

The "certain game" mentioned is Marvel Rivals, a competitive multiplayer hero shooter from NetEase that has amassed 40 million downloads since its December launch. In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the new competitive landscape, noting, "We're obviously in a new competitive landscape that I think, for Overwatch, we've never really been in before, to this extent where there's another game that's so similar to the one that we've created." Keller described the situation as "exciting" and praised Marvel Rivals for taking ideas from Overwatch in a "different direction." He also admitted that the success of Marvel Rivals has prompted a shift in Blizzard's approach, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe."

While it's premature to declare Overwatch 2's full recovery, the fluctuating Steam user reviews suggest that achieving a rating better than 'mixed' will be challenging. Nonetheless, Season 15 has spurred a notable increase in player engagement on Valve's platform, with peak concurrent player numbers nearly doubling to 60,000. It's important to note that Overwatch 2 is also available on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox, though player numbers for these platforms are not publicly disclosed. In comparison, Marvel Rivals recently saw a peak of 305,816 concurrent players on Steam over the last 24 hours.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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