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

Overwatch 2 Season 15 has been a breath of fresh air for the game, significantly improving the sentiment around what was once dubbed the worst user-reviewed game on Steam. Launched nearly nine years after the original Overwatch in 2016 and two-and-a-half years following the debut of Overwatch 2, the game hit its lowest point in August 2023 when it became the most negatively reviewed game on Steam. This backlash was largely due to Blizzard's controversial decision to transition its premium predecessor into a free-to-play sequel, making the original Overwatch unplayable as of 2022. Additionally, the cancellation of the much-anticipated PvE Hero mode further fueled player discontent, as many believed this feature was the sole justification for the sequel.

Despite still holding a 'mostly negative' rating for all reviews on Steam, the tide has begun to turn with recent reviews now classified as 'mixed.' This shift, with 43% of the 5,325 reviews in the last 30 days being positive, marks a notable improvement for Overwatch 2, which has faced continuous criticism since its Steam release.

The launch of Season 15 has played a pivotal role in this turnaround, introducing substantial changes to the game. While the future roadmap promises typical new content, the core gameplay has undergone a significant transformation, featuring new hero perks and the reintroduction of loot boxes. These changes have resonated well with the community, as evidenced by positive feedback in recent user reviews.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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"They just released Overwatch 2," reads one recent positive review. "The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way."

Another user expressed, "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."

This review references Marvel Rivals, a competitive multiplayer hero shooter from NetEase that has seen 40 million downloads since its launch in December. In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller discussed the impact of Marvel Rivals on the game's development. "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 stated.

Rather than viewing Marvel Rivals as a threat, Keller found the situation "exciting" and appreciated how the game took Overwatch's established ideas in a "different direction." He admitted that the success of Marvel Rivals prompted a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, emphasizing that "this is no longer about playing it safe."

While it's premature to declare Overwatch 2 fully "back," the fluctuating Steam reviews suggest that achieving a rating better than 'mixed' will be challenging. However, Season 15 has led to a significant increase in player engagement on Steam, 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, where player numbers are not publicly disclosed.

For comparison, Marvel Rivals, which recently released a mid-season update, achieved a peak of 305,816 concurrent players on Steam in the last 24 hours.