Overwatch 2's Stadium mode is off to a great start, but in order to keep player interest alive and the player count at healthy levels, Blizzard will need to keep the content mill churning so that fans remain satiated. Marvel Rivals is hot on its heels and the momentary interest Overwatch 2 has generated with this new mode will not last long if its competitor is allowed to formulate its response without a rebuttal ready.
Overwatch 2, and Overwatch before it, have had a long history of slow updates. Blizzard has always been cautious about what it adds to Overwatch 2, but as Marvel Rivals' rapid-fire update approach has proven, moving fast is the key to success with hero shooters. Drip-feeding content updates over months had mixed results for Overwatch 2 in the past, and it likely will not work out now given how fast its main competitor has been making meaningful additions. Hopefully, Blizzard will change its approach and give Stadium, and OW2 as a whole, the attention it deserves.
Overwatch 2 Confirms New Flashpoint Map For Season 17
Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller confirms the third map for the Flashpoint game mode will be arriving as a part of the Season 17 update.
Updates to Overwatch 2's Stadium Mode Should Come Fast and Hard
Quickly Releasing Heroes to Stadium Should be a Priority
A major complaint players have about Stadium in its current state is the lack of options when it comes to Hero choices. In order to balance the game mode, Blizzard has opted to hold off on adding the entire Overwatch 2 hero roster to Stadium at once. While this is understandable, as the build and perk system in Stadium needs competitive balancing and counterbalancing to not become completely broken, it should not remain the case for an extended period of time.
Adding the remaining Heroes to Stadium at a consistent pace will allow players who main those Heroes in normal Overwatch 2 to get full enjoyment out of the new game mode. Fortunately, Blizzard's Stadium roadmap for 2025 reveals concrete plans for Heroes being steadily added to Stadium via monthly updates.
A MOBA-Style Draft Mode Could Make Stadium Feel Even Better
In Stadium, players are hero-locked, with no ability to switch during a single match. A problem with this is that if a player chooses a Hero who is completely countered by the enemy team, they have no choice but to sit through seven rounds of hell or leave and ruin the match for everyone by leaving. A solution to this would be to introduce a drafting phase before the match's start, where players pick heroes one by one so no one can complain if they have a bad time during the match, as they will know exactly what they are up against.
As Stadium Thrives, Overwatch 2 Lore is Ripe for a Revival
The Overwatch universe has one of the most interesting collections of background lores behind it, with tons of potential for expansion. One of the best ways Overwatch 2 can capitalize on Stadium's popularity is to use it as a stepping stone to resuscitate Overwatch's lore, which has been on life support for a long time now. Among the main reasons why Overwatch's reception was so positive back in 2016 was because of the effort Blizzard put into fleshing out the overarching storyline, regularly making comics for individual Overwatch character backstories, and cinematics to introduce new Heroes.
Continuing the main story of Overwatch 2: Invasion, which left off with Zenyatta meeting Ramattra, would be a great way to reignite interest in the franchise. Even if PvE missions are off the table, Blizzard has a long history of creating some of the most memorable cinematics in gaming; Reinhardt's "Honor and Glory" is the perfect example of this. Going back to this approach would be all that Overwatch 2 needs to return to the mainstream in a big way, especially if a lengthy cinematic is released that progresses the story in a significant way.
Alternatively, Blizzard could go the Cyberpunk route and make a full-fledged anime about Overwatch's lore; the mini-series Genesis was a good start, but it was brief and released nearly 2 years ago. It’s high time for something more, and a proper series would also be an excellent way to tie the multiple branching storylines of the Heroes and Villains together into a cohesive whole. While spin-off games or another attempt at story-driven PvE content may be preferable, as they would allow gamers to actually play as their favorite heroes, the return of Pixar quality animated shorts or an anime would be solid alternatives.
Overwatch 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
