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

Overwatch 2's Season 15 Revitalizes Player Sentiment, Marking a Significant Turnaround

Overwatch 2, which infamously held the title of Steam's worst-reviewed game in August 2023, is experiencing a resurgence in positive player feedback thanks to Season 15. The game, released two and a half years after its predecessor, faced immense backlash due to controversial monetization practices and the cancellation of its highly anticipated PvE Hero mode.

While still holding a "mostly negative" overall rating, recent reviews have shifted to "mixed," with 43% of the 5,325 reviews submitted in the last 30 days being positive. This represents a substantial shift for a game previously mired in overwhelming negativity.

The positive change is largely attributed to Season 15's significant gameplay overhaul. This includes the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes, features praised by players as a return to the core elements that made the original Overwatch successful. Many reviews highlight the update as a return to form, contrasting it with previous decisions driven by corporate pressures.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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Player comments reflect this sentiment, with some describing the update as "what the game should always have been" and praising Blizzard for "stepping up their game." The success is further contextualized by the rise of the competing title, Marvel Rivals, which has garnered 40 million downloads since its December launch.

Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the increased competition in a recent GamesRadar interview, stating that Marvel Rivals' success has forced Blizzard to adopt a more proactive approach, moving away from a "playing it safe" strategy.

Despite the positive shift, it remains too early to definitively declare Overwatch 2's comeback. The game's Steam player count, while showing a near doubling of peak concurrent players to 60,000, pales in comparison to Marvel Rivals' 305,816 peak concurrent players. It's important to note that these figures only represent Steam data; overall player numbers across all platforms remain undisclosed. The fluctuating nature of Steam reviews also suggests maintaining a consistently positive reception will be a considerable challenge.