Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play first-person shooter that hopes to improve upon the original title, with new heroes dropping each season of the game. Players have a variety of game modes; they have the choice to play through Quick Play as well as Arcade on a select number of maps based on different places in the world.
However, many old players of the game wish that some of the maps that are not available in Arcade or not available at all would return to Quick Play especially due to how enjoyable they have been. These are the few maps that players hope will return to the unranked modes of the game in one way or another.
7 Temple Of Anubis
With the shutdown of the first Overwatch and the creation of the new one, many old players were upset to find out that the game mode known as Assault was removed from Unranked and Competitive play. The game mode can now only be found in Arcade occasionally where the Temple map is used, though many players hope that eventually, Assault will return to the normal game.
Especially as the Temple of Anubis map was one of the first maps to be developed in Overwatch and has been a fan favorite of players for not only its design but also the memorable choke points.
6 Hanamura
Another Assault map that has sadly been removed from unranked and relegated to being occasionally in Arcade or selected as a Custom Game by players, Hanamura was an infamously loved map that many players enjoyed fighting across. The progression across the map was very interesting as those attacking would first travel through a small town to capture the first point at a smaller temple to then capture the second point in a much larger building.
As home of the Shimada clan and one of the best Overwatch cinematic, it's a shame that this map won't return in Unranked. The only way it will return is if it's altered in some way to fit a different game mode that is being created by Blizzard in the coming year.
5 Havana
Havana is one of the few escort maps that isn't included in the Unranked or Competitive modes of the game. Currently, it is only available to be played as in the Custom game due to the expansions that have been made has made it become unstable as a usual escort map.
This long escort mission has been altered to be used in the upcoming campaign of the game that will finally explore the lore of Overwatch. Players hope that once this releases in 2023 that the map will also have its alternate version where it can be played as a normal escort mission.
4 Numbani
Players that have enjoyed past matches in Overwatch would have remembered the origins of the Numbani Hybrid map. Before the hero of Doomfist was released, players were tasked with claiming the point and escorting the gauntlet worn by Doomfist to the museum to celebrate his defeat; when he was unlocked, what was being escorted was changed.
No explanation has yet been given as to why this map hasn't been included in the first season of Overwatch 2 for Unranked and Competitive, especially since many of the other Hybrid maps are being used. It can be assumed that Blizzard will hopefully release this map during the second season, or perhaps this map has also been changed so that it can be used during the campaign of the game.
3 Horizon Lunar Colony
Out of all the assault maps that players mourn have been removed from standard gameplay, Horizon Lunar Colony especially surprised people with this change. It is one of the few standard matches that have an area outside that has low gravity, allowing played to jump around freely and get inventive with their combat when using their abilities.
As the only map that doesn't take place on Earth, it's unfortunate that players won't get to experience it regularly as they used to. If this map doesn't return to Unranked or Competitive in some form, then many players hope that more maps will make use of features such as the low gravity in certain areas.
2 Blizzard World
Another hybrid map that hasn't been seen in the rotation of Unranked matches during the first season of Overwatch 2 is Blizzard World. This map is favored by those that are fans of many of Blizzard's titles, as the setting creates a theme park based on Blizzard's successes.
One team of heroes must capture the payload in the Warcraft Staging area and then escort it through the theme park while attempting not to get distracted by all the amazing Easter eggs. It is unknown if Blizzard World will return in the second season of Overwatch 2 though many players are confident that the reason it isn't included isn't about the campaign that is being released.
1 Rialto
Rialto is the other escort map that hasn't been included in the current season of Overwatch 2; it can currently only be accessed in custom game modes for the same reason as Havana. It has been confirmed that this map is also being expanded upon for the campaign.
Although this map may not release again for the second season, many players hope that they will be able to escort or defend the payload across the serene streets of Venice soon once the campaign has been fully established.
Overwatch 2 is currently available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.