After Becoming the Worst User-Reviewed Game Ever on Steam, Overwatch 2’s Recent Reviews Jump to ‘Mixed’

Overwatch 2 Season 15 has been a breath of fresh air for the game, significantly boosting player sentiment and marking a turnaround from what was once dubbed the worst ever user-reviewed game on Steam. Launched in 2016, the original Overwatch has now been followed by Overwatch 2, which debuted two-and-a-half years ago. The sequel faced severe backlash in August 2023, becoming the most negatively reviewed game on Steam due to its controversial monetization strategies. Blizzard's decision to update the premium Overwatch into a free-to-play sequel, making the original unplayable since 2022, was a major point of contention. Additionally, the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode further fueled player dissatisfaction.

Despite still holding a 'mostly negative' overall user review rating on Steam, recent reviews have shifted to 'mixed,' with 43% of the 5,325 reviews in the last 30 days being positive. This improvement is largely attributed to Season 15, which introduced substantial changes to the game. These updates include new hero perks and the reintroduction of loot boxes, significantly altering the core gameplay experience. The roadmap for Overwatch 2 promises more new content, but it's the fundamental shifts in gameplay that have captured players' attention.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Players have expressed their approval in recent reviews. One user 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 review praised the game, 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.” This comment references the impact of Marvel Rivals, a competitive multiplayer hero shooter from NetEase that has seen 40 million downloads since its December launch.

In a recent GamesRadar interview, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller discussed the competitive landscape shaped by Marvel Rivals. He acknowledged the situation as "exciting" and praised Marvel Rivals for taking Overwatch's established ideas in a "different direction." Keller admitted that the success of Marvel Rivals has prompted Blizzard to adopt a less cautious approach with Overwatch 2, stating, “this is no longer about playing it safe."

While it's premature to declare Overwatch 2's complete revival, the mixed reviews suggest a challenging path ahead for further improvement. However, Season 15 has driven a significant increase in player numbers on Steam, with peak concurrent users almost 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 recently achieved a peak of 305,816 concurrent players on Steam over the last 24 hours.