Activision Blizzard is rejuvenating the gameplay of Overwatch 2

Ethan James 11 Feb 2024

Activision Blizzard is undertaking significant overhauls of Overwatch 2 in an effort to rejuvenate the game, aiming to enhance the player versus player (PvP) experience and make it more satisfying while also improving in-game clarity for participants.

Through a forthright blog post, the development team declared their awareness of player criticisms concerning the game's competitive aspect throughout eight seasons. They have committed to implementing substantial updates that will bolster players' abilities to track improvements and understand their journey through the competitive tiers.

The blog outlined that they have devised an improved system that not only yields more precise measurements but also demystifies the complex algorithms behind matchmaking. This system is designed to offer explicit feedback regarding the impact of each match on a player's rank.

Players had expressed that simply knowing their rank was insufficient without understanding the reasons for its change. Therefore, unlike previous approaches that focused on reflecting player growth over a series of matches, the forthcoming changes will revisit updating ranks post-match and provide detailed information on the progress between each Skill Division.

By also adding Modifiers below the rank progression bar, which show the factors affecting the last match, the team aims to illuminate the matchmaking process for players.

The developers are actively seeking player feedback on these adjustments, especially now that players will have a clearer understanding of how each match influences their rankings.

At its essence, Overwatch 2 is conceived as a competitive title; thus, it is critical for the fundamental and Competitive Systems to be instinctive and user-friendly. These system modifications are complemented by the forthcoming redesign of characters such as Pharah and Junkertown, details of which are promised in an upcoming blog post.

With the arrival of Season 9: Champions on February 13th, Overwatch 2 will introduce a new progression mechanism, a superlative skill tier above Grand Master, and extensive modifications to various gameplay elements, including combat dynamics, hero endurance, and the passive abilities associated with each role.