By their very nature, live-service games are in a constant state of evolution. With every new season comes new map changes, character tweaks, gameplay mechanics, and cosmetics, and there's usually no end date in sight. Live-service games' whole deal is to keep producing new content for as long as possible, and Overwatch 2 is no exception.
Though Overwatch 2 took a great deal from its predecessor, it's also added plenty of its own little quirks, many of which have evolved over the course of the last two years. The latest Overwatch 2 seasons have overhauled the game's free-to-play system, finally freeing its heroes from the Battle Pass and granting all players access to them for no extra charge. Overwatch 2 also sees its fair share of experiments. For instance, a few months ago, a limited-time mode called Quick Play: Hacked was added to Overwatch 2, increasing the speed of payloads and thus reducing the duration of a match. Just a few days ago, Overwatch 2's Quick Play: Hacked mode returned for another short stint, but this time, the mode's experimental features really felt like Blizzard was testing the waters.
All Overwatch 2 x Transformers Collaboration Hero Skins
Overwatch 2's latest collaboration with Transformers has a series of Autobot and Decepticon skins for their favorite heroes.
The Most Recent Overwatch 2 Quick Play: Hacked Variation Could Lead to Much More
Overwatch 2 Quick Play: Hacked Added Some Powerful Passives
The big twist in this most recent iteration of Overwatch 2's Quick Play: Hacked mode is that players could choose their Passive ability. Each Role had three distinct Passives to choose from, allowing players to choose the most efficient ability for their specific hero and particular playstyle. While not all of these pickable Passives were memorable, there were some standouts, such as the Tank's Last Stand Passive that gave players a 50% reduction on cooldowns while at 50% health or lower, and the Support's Resourceful Passive that reduced cooldowns across the board by 20%.
Overwatch 2 Quick Play: Hacked's Passives Could Become The Norm
Ever since their introduction, Overwatch 2's Role Passives have been a rather divisive feature. When they were first added to the game, Blizzard claimed that these Passives would help to make each Role feel distinct, with each one receiving extra advantages that further reinforced their different playstyles. However, fans have found several issues with this broad approach to Passives.
For a while now, Overwatch 2's Role Passives have felt fairly inconsistent. Overwatch 2's roster is pretty varied, and as such, not every Role Passive properly suits every hero in its class. For example, while some Tank heroes benefit greatly from their Passive knockback reduction, others don't, making the ability feel worthless in some instances and overpowered in others.
Another issue fans have had with Overwatch 2's Role Passives is that the lack of player agency makes them feel redundant. Simply put, if every player in the same Role is forced to use the same Passive, then no one is getting any unique advantages or rewards for their own ability to strategize. But this is where Overwatch 2's recent Hacked mode may have been testing the waters. If players can choose their Passive abilities, then that could go a long way in making the feature feel more rewarding, as players will need to pick a Passive that effectively fits with their own playstyle and the rest of the team's.
Overwatch 2
- Released
- August 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
