Overwatch 2 Reviews Surge from Negative to Mixed Post-Update

Overwatch 2's Season 15 revitalizes the game, significantly improving player sentiment and marking a turning point from its historically low Steam ratings. Initially the worst-reviewed game on Steam in August 2023 due to controversies surrounding monetization and the cancellation of the anticipated PvE Hero mode, Overwatch 2's user reviews have shifted from "mostly negative" to "mixed." This positive shift is largely attributed to Season 15's impactful changes.

A notable 43% of the 5,325 user reviews submitted in the past month were positive. This represents a substantial improvement for a game that has faced considerable backlash since its release on Steam. Season 15's core gameplay alterations, including the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes, have been well-received.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Positive player feedback highlights the update's success in addressing previous criticisms: "They just released Overwatch 2," one review states, "The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way." Another player commented, "For once, I must come to Overwatch's defense...Going back to what worked in Overwatch 1 while introducing new and fun mechanics."

The rise of the competitive hero shooter, Marvel Rivals (with 40 million downloads since December), has significantly impacted Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2. In an interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the heightened competition, stating that the success of Marvel Rivals has spurred a shift away from a "playing it safe" strategy.

While it's premature to declare Overwatch's complete resurgence, Season 15 has undeniably boosted player engagement on Steam, nearly doubling peak concurrent players to 60,000. It's important to note that these figures only represent Steam; Overwatch 2 is also available on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox, with player counts on those platforms unavailable. In contrast, Marvel Rivals boasts 305,816 peak concurrent players on Steam within the last 24 hours. The future of Overwatch 2's Steam ratings remains uncertain, but Season 15's impact is undeniable.