Overwatch 2 makes a ton of changes compared to the first game, but perhaps one of the biggest is the introduction of the Battle Pass, where players must complete matches, challenges, and so on to unlock new cosmetics, items, and so on. Of course, it's entirely possible to purchase Overwatch 2 skins, but some players aren't happy with the shop, among other changes to monetization.
Regardless, the economics of Overwatch 2 have certainly changed, and that means some players are going to really focus on their challenges. Completing dailies, weeklies, and so on is a great little boost of serotonin, if nothing else. But one player missed out on a big challenge by a single point.
Redditor SyntheticEcstasy recently shared an image of their "Hold the Line" weekly challenge, which requires players to accumulate a total of 40,000 damage MIT in Overwatch 2 (damage mitigation completed by playing Tanks, usually). This Redditor unfortunately came in at 39,999 out of 40,000. At least one other Redditor pointed out that they still had time before the challenges reset, as of their posting, but the OP revealed that they personally did not have time to play before then.
Indeed, while the exact circumstances of SyntheticEcstasy's barrier to completing this challenge are unknown and frankly do matter, this speaks to a specific issue regarding live service games. The more and more games that adopt this specific model, the more and more divided players (at least those who enjoy live service FPS games) are going to be, and the harder it is to keep up. For example, games like Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Fall Guys, Destiny 2, Overwatch 2, and many more all contain Battle Passes that require daily, if not deeper, commitments to complete. And some players may be drawn to one or another, but there are certainly overlapping interests here. Yet, it's a big ask for someone to complete Battle Passes in multiple games.
It could be simpler here in SyntheticEcstasy's case, but out there are some who are likely in these shoes. This can create a sense of FOMO in these games or a sense of missing certain accomplishments when things locked to the Battle Pass cannot be obtained through other means. Of course, that doesn't mean they should be, but with major companies like Sony investing heavily in live-service games, it seems some innovation regarding monetization and other rewards could be required to prevent Battle Passes from overwhelming the sphere.
Overwatch 2 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.