Overwatch 2's Steam Reviews Surge from 'Worst' to 'Mixed'

Overwatch 2 Season 15 appears to be resonating well with the community, marking a notable shift in sentiment for a game that once bore the dubious distinction of being the worst user-reviewed game on Steam. Since the debut of the original Overwatch in 2016 and the launch of its sequel in 2023, Overwatch 2 has faced significant criticism, particularly after it became the lowest-rated game on Steam in August 2023 due to contentious monetization practices and the decision to render the original Overwatch unplayable following its transition to a free-to-play model in 2022. The game also drew ire for canceling its highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, which many felt was the key justification for the sequel.

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, though modest, is significant for Overwatch 2, which has struggled with overwhelmingly negative feedback since its launch on Valve's platform. The positive change coincides with the launch of Season 15, which introduced substantial changes to the game, including hero perks and the reintroduction of loot boxes. These updates have revitalized core gameplay and have been well-received by the community.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Positive user reviews reflect this sentiment, with one player stating, "The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way." Another praised the changes, 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 latter comment references the impact of Marvel Rivals, a competitive multiplayer hero shooter from NetEase that has garnered 40 million downloads since its December launch. In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the new competitive landscape, noting that Marvel Rivals' success has spurred Blizzard to adopt a more aggressive approach to 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 explained, describing the situation as "exciting" and appreciating how Marvel Rivals has taken Overwatch's established ideas in new directions.

While it's premature to proclaim Overwatch's full recovery, the fluctuating nature of Steam user reviews indicates that achieving a rating better than 'mixed' will be challenging. However, Season 15 has spurred an increase in player engagement on Steam, with peak concurrent players nearly doubling to 60,000. It's important to note that Overwatch 2 is also available on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox, though player numbers for these platforms are not publicly disclosed. In comparison, Marvel Rivals recently hit a peak of 305,816 concurrent players on Steam within the last 24 hours.