Back in 2016, Overwatch revolutionized multiplayer team-based shooters by featuring seamless gameplay as well as a colorful cast of misfits. Players everywhere turned to their favorite heroes and everyone from the damage-dealing Reaper to the life-saver Mercy got a chance to shine in every match of Overwatch. Although Overwatch wasn’t just a simple flash in the pan for the summer of 2016, the game was a proven event that slowly revealed interesting lore with ultra-constructed cinematics and comics that solidified the lore.
What’s more, fantasy helped secure Overwatch as the world’s most popular game for a time. Sadly, this could not last forever and the popularity of the original game slowly waned over time. But with Overwatch 2 just on the horizon, here are five changes Blizzard needs to make to ensure that the sequel can experience success in today’s market.
Justify the existence of Overwatch 2
Video Source: Blizzard Entertainment
Since the reveal of Overwatch 2, many players have felt that Blizzard was using this new game as a smokescreen to divert attention from other controversies the company is facing. Many players felt that a game like Overwatch needed not a sequel, but more content, along with a change in the overall balance and flow of the game. When you consider the fact that the early previews for Overwatch 2 didn’t showcase a major graphical improvement or obvious innovation in gameplay, many players saw the announcement as a simple cash grab.
Despite Overwatch 2’s launch within two months of this writing, many players are left with resentment as well as confusion about the upcoming launch of Overwatch 2. In comparison, the launch of the original Overwatch consumed the gaming zeitgeist before and after its release. Many months and even a few years after its release. Overwatch 2 needs to explain why this game should replace the original beloved title with the original, rather than just a big patch for the original.
focus on fun above everything else
Video Source: Blizzard Entertainment
Generally speaking, the launch period of the original Overwatch was more focused on entertainment than character balance. Players could stack multiple versions of the same character and it was the Wild West in terms of balance. This devil could care about the attitude spent in ranked games for a time and some team combinations were toxic in nature. Was the original launch period reasonable and balanced at the time? No, but it was definitely extremely fun and experimental. There was an energy surrounding the game where players were willing to try out a variety of team combinations in the name of fun.
However, everything changed when professional players developed winning combinations for the tournament. Now, this happens with almost every competitive game in history, but when Blizzard started catering to this small segment of its fan base, the original Overwatch 2 lost a certain charm. Players were excommunicated for not sticking to the desired meta and the player base gained a reputation for being extremely toxic.
With Overwatch 2, Blizzard should encourage more player experimentation while balancing the game in a way that feels appropriate but doesn’t restrict player expression. Of course, doing so is easier said than done, but Blizzard hasn’t earned the reputation of being a trendsetter for nothing.
keep updates coming
Video Source: Blizzard Entertainment
Two years after the original Overwatch, players began to notice that Blizzard had begun to recycle the update. There will certainly be new skins in Summer, Halloween, and Christmas, but nothing exciting will change other than the associated menu and map themes associated with each annual update. When games like Fortnite were undergoing massive changes with major updates every few months, it’s easy to see why some players grew tired of the original Overwatch’s update cycle.
And although most of the new maps and heroes added were great additions, they came far and wide for some players who grew tired of the content. Back then it felt like Overwatch was a game that had to be supported for two or three years, in contrast to other live service games that featured frequent battle passes every few months. Thankfully, Overwatch 2 is switching to a free-to-play model that has a battle pass, but only time will tell whether the content within this battle pass will be worth the grind.
Add Value and Meaning to Co-Operations
Video Source: Blizzard Entertainment
Instead of making co-op a sessional mode, Blizzard has made it an integral part of the Overwatch 2 experience. And while the original co-op modes deviated greatly from the base game mode and added many precious lore, they weren’t meant to be replayed for more than a few weeks at a time. Yes, players could earn bragging rights as well as skins by participating in these modes but they were far from the focus of the original title. Now Blizzard has a chance to meaningfully progress the mode and make players invest more in their characters. Not only that, but the original co-op was a regular multiplayer match with bots instead of human enemies.
Blizzard can do a variety of creative things with this latest version like branching out or even adding a random element to each mission to refresh things. The entire mode doesn’t necessarily mimic Left 4 Dead’s AI director, but Blizzard can at least throw some curve balls at players. However, continuity with lore as well as content updates is essential to keep this mode alive. Again, easier said than done but Blizzard can’t be lazy with its updates to this mode as many players will refuse to play fillers or recycled content.
Video Source: Blizzard Entertainment
Some longer-running games suffer from the same problems that the original Overwatch experienced. Before and immediately after the game’s launch, developers are in constant communication with the player base about upcoming games and how they are incorporating player feedback into those changes. At first, the original Overwatch did a great job of building its community but over time, this line of communication broke down and players were left in the dark about the game’s future. Still many players remain confused about the nature of Overwatch 2 and why it is even a thing. Until recently, Overwatch 2 was just an abstract concept for many players as Blizzard only announced the title and remained radio silent for a long time.
Jeff Kaplan, who happens to be the face of Overwatch, did a great job of fulfilling Blizzard’s intentions with each update, while looking down to earth and relatable. After leaving the company, the original Overwatch looked like it was directionless. Of course, there are countless talented developers but an important line of communication was gone and the game felt like a sinking ship amidst a wave of other multiplayer titles. While Overwatch 2 doesn’t require a Jeff clone, it does need to find an efficient way for players to communicate the course of the game within a reasonable amount of time. Many gamers have little attention in today’s market and any live service game that goes missing for too long can be considered a failure by many gamers.
Any other big changes you want to see in Overwatch 2? Leave them in the comments!
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