Overwatch 2 Reviews Surge to 'Mixed' After Record Low

Overwatch 2 Season 15: A Resurgence from the Depths of Negative Reviews?

Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch debuted in 2016, and two and a half years after the launch of its controversial sequel, Overwatch 2 appears to be experiencing a surprising turnaround. Last August, it infamously earned the title of Steam's worst-reviewed game ever, largely due to backlash over its monetization practices and the forced transition from the original, paid version to a free-to-play model. Further controversies, including the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, only deepened the negativity.

While the overall Steam user review rating remains "mostly negative," a significant shift is underway. Recent reviews show a marked improvement, moving towards a "mixed" rating. An impressive 43% of the 5,325 reviews submitted in the last 30 days were positive—a remarkable feat considering the game's history of overwhelmingly negative feedback on Valve's platform.

This positive swing is largely attributed to Season 15, which introduced sweeping changes to the core gameplay. These changes, including the addition of hero perks and the return of loot boxes, seem to have resonated with players.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Player sentiment is reflected in recent positive reviews: "They just released Overwatch 2," one user wrote. "The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way.” Another added, "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." This positive feedback even references the popular competitor, Marvel Rivals, highlighting a renewed focus and a clear response to market competition.

In an interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the impact of Marvel Rivals’ success (boasting 40 million downloads since its December launch) and the intensified competition within the hero shooter market. He described the situation as "exciting," emphasizing that Blizzard is now operating under a "no longer playing it safe" mentality.

While it's premature to declare a full-fledged Overwatch comeback, the positive shift in Steam reviews and a near-doubling of peak concurrent players on the platform (reaching almost 60,000) suggest a significant improvement. It's important to note that these figures only represent Steam player numbers; Overwatch 2 is also available on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox, with overall player counts remaining undisclosed by Blizzard, Sony, or Microsoft. For comparison, Marvel Rivals recently recorded 305,816 peak concurrent players on Steam. The road to recovery is clearly paved with challenges, but Season 15 has undeniably injected a much-needed dose of renewed energy into Overwatch 2.