There hasn't been much hype for Overwatch 2. Despite all of the press releases, content, and new mechanics, Blizzard has ruined excitement with huge mistakes.
Overwatch 2 is essentially a new business model and not the sequel that fans have been waiting for. Even the few that have still stuck around are expressing disappointment with the company.
With the release date coming up soon, will Blizzard have to make drastic changes to keep their fans?
Let's take a look at the changes Blizzard has made and how alienated fans have responded to this.
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Overwatch 2 Beta disappointment
Overwatch 2 got off to a really bad start with all of the flaws and issues found in the beta tests. Content creators and professional Overwatch competitors got to try out the beta but felt as if it did not hold up to the previous Overwatch game.
There were some glaringly large issues with the beta including queue times. YouTuber Dunkey called it “Overwatch 1.1” due to its “moronic” role queue with “horrendous” queue times.
Several creators also noticed the lack of content for the game. Explaining that the game felt less like a sequel and more like a marketing technique. The differences that were made by Blizzard honestly became issues rather than uplifting the original game.
Due to the lower number of players in a team, the games also became more aggressive which lost the need for team play. It also reduced the support role to something that wasn't really needed.
Free-to-play causes outrage among fans
Whilst the free-to-play aspect sounds great in concept. In practice, it becomes a clustered, complex, and soulless way for Blizzard to make a higher income.
And whilst it makes sense that a company would want to make money, putting this above your audience is something which will never sit right with any community.
With the free-to-play element, loot boxes are removed and a battle pass for each month is included. This is beginning to move from a brilliant, fun game, to something that feels like a cheap mobile game.
Their free-to-play model has made some fans draw comparisons with live service games such as Valorant or Apex Legends. This feels like a step in the opposite way to the first Overwatch. A complete step away from the original game has alienated a lot of fans.
Overwatch 2 Heroes locked behind battle passes
New heroes in Overwatch 2 are locked behind a battle pass. Upon first reading, this sounds like an outrage and as if players won't be able to play new Heroes.
However, Blizzard announced that all battle passes are free, but players will have to work to unlock these Heroes. So... heroes are free, but they also aren't free.
This has caused a lot of upset within the community as getting these new Heroes will be much harder than simply buying them with IRL or in-game currency.
The announcement that players can only compete in the competitive pool when they own all champions is a ridiculous mechanic too. With this idea put in place, players may take a couple of years playing every so often before they can enter competitively.
5v5 multiplayer
This change has been one of the most disruptive to the gameplay in Overwatch 2. Instead of having a team of 6v6, Overwatch 2 will have a 5v5 mechanic.
This makes matches shorter, and more aggressive, and eliminates the desire for the support role. It also confuses the meta of the game, meaning a less diverse selection of Heroes will be seen in every match.
The tank's role is also deeply affected by this change. Tanks take the position of a goalkeeper and often are flamed to alleviate stress from other players. With a 5v5 team, two tanks will be needed to sponge up damage to DPS players.
This puts way more pressure on the role and means that more toxicity will surely be coming their way.
Pair this with the way that fans are deeply frustrated by this game, and you've got a hard time for the specialised role in Overwatch 2.
Is Blizzard flogging a dead horse?
The Overwatch hype died out a couple of years before the Overwatch 2 announcement. It feels like the new Overwatch 2 is simply a marketing technique to make Overwatch into a popular game once again.
However, fans can see this desperate plea for the game's revival and are not being fooled by it. With a focus on income by Blizzard, the fans have been left in the dark with many of the game mechanics working against them.
Because of this, the community are generally annoyed by all the decisions made by Blizzard and I'm sure they have lost a huge number of fans. I know that I am one of them.