Blizzard's hero-based first-person shooter Overwatch 2 is struggling to retain players just nine months after its hugely successful early access launch. Going live with three new heroes, new maps, and the new Push mode in October 2022, Overwatch 2 refreshed a multiplayer shooter that had previously been cursed with several years of stagnation. In the months since launch, the sequel has added two new heroes in Ramattra and Lifeweaver, and two more maps with the promise of a hero-based PvE story mode to come.
Many players felt Overwatch 2 was too iterative, essentially feeling more like an update than a wholly new game. The story-based PvE Hero mode was the one fresh experience that players felt justified the sequel. With customizable abilities and skill trees, this Hero mode seemed like something players have been wanting since the original Overwatch seven years ago. However, in May, just seven months after launch, the Overwatch team announced the Hero mode's cancelation, disappointing and frustrating large swaths of the Overwatch fanbase in the process.
Now, it seems that Overwatch 2 struggles are continuing. Activision Blizzard, in a Q2 2023 earnings release, revealed that Overwatch 2's player count and "player investment" have declined over the past quarter. In the same report, Blizzard pointed toward the upcoming Season 6: Invasion update to potentially improve engagement as Overwatch 2's largest season yet, bringing a new support hero, Flashpoint game mode, co-op PvE missions, and more.
It's tough for any live service title to survive in today's gaming climate no matter how large the brand or studio behind it, or how successful the initial launch. However, Blizzard's cancelation of the PvE Hero mode was very likely a key contributing factor in Overwatch 2's declining numbers. Many players felt the company had broken a promise with the scrapping of the mode, as it was a key selling point Blizzard used to garner hype and buzz around the sequel. While each new season over the past nine months has been bringing a sufficient amount of new cosmetics, limited modes, and events to the table, new heroes joining the roster only every other season hasn't helped. Combined with the fact that the most recent official Blizzard map that's been added to the game was the Antarctic Peninsula Control map back in February, and it's no wonder why Overwatch 2 has begun to struggle.
As the August 10 release of Season 6: Invasion continues to draw nearer, Overwatch 2's player counts could see a much-needed jump. New heroes and modes always generate buzz around the Overwatch community and beyond, so with Invasion bringing both to the table, as well as PvE co-op missions, the new season could be the shot in the arm the sequel has been needing. It will be interesting to see where Overwatch 2 stands come October when the sequel reaches its first anniversary.
Overwatch 2 is available now in early access for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.