Highlights
- Overwatch 2 is speeding up game modes like Push, Flashpoint, Hybrid, and Escort after positive feedback from the Quicker Play test.
- Changes from Quicker Play, like faster bots in Push and shorter Quick Play matches, will be permanently added to Overwatch 2.
- Future Quick Play: Hacked events will use a separate game card alongside Quick Play to test disruptive changes based on player feedback.
Overwatch 2 is making some changes to the Push, Flashpoint, Hybrid, and Escort game modes to make them faster-paced. These speed adjustments are being made in response to positive feedback during the recent Quicker Play test Overwatch 2 held as a part of its new Quick Play: Hacked feature.
In January, Overwatch 2 introduced Quick Play: Hacked, a limited-time, recurring event where the casual game mode would experience experimental changes. The inaugural test was called Quicker Play, which reduced respawn times, sped up payloads and push bots, and increased the capture and scoring speed of objectives.
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Now, Overwatch 2 has announced it is taking some of these changes and permanently adding them to the core game. In a recent Overwatch 2 Director’s Take blog, game director Aaron Keller revealed it was implementing some of the more well-received speed buffs from Quicker Play. In Push, the bot’s movement speed while pushing the barricade will be increased, and the match length in Quick Play will be reduced to 8 minutes. Competitive Push games will still be 10 minutes for the time being, though Overwatch 2 may change that in the future. Additionally, all players will receive a speed boost when leaving the spawn in Flashpoint, as will defenders during setup in Hybrid and Escort.
Overwatch 2 Gameplay Changes Inspired by Quicker Play
- Push
- Bot movement speed while pushing the barrier is increased.
- Match length in Quick Play is now 8 minutes instead of 10. Competitive may see this change in the future.
- Flashpoint
- All players will get a speed boost out of spawn on Overwatch 2 Flashpoint maps.
- Hybrid/Escort
- Defenders get a speed boost out of spawn during setup.
Keller also spoke about how it would run future Quick Play: Hacked events. Based on feedback from Quicker Play, Overwatch 2 will be using a separate game card next to Quick Play when testing disruptive twists to the normal flow of the game. Less-disruptive experiments may fully replace Quick Play as Quicker Play did, but Overwatch 2 may test them for shorter periods of time if they still make moderately drastic changes. Even so, the big changes from Overwatch 2 Season 9 prove it isn't afraid to mix things up outside of Quick Play: Hacked.
Some fans wondered why Overwatch 2 didn’t use separate game modes, such as the old Experimental card from the original Overwatch, to test these changes in the first place. According to Keller’s data, only 18% of players tried Experimental mode when it was available, most of whom only queued for a single game. In an effort to ensure it gets the data and feedback it needs without fully disrupting the player experience, Overwatch 2 will be trying to strike the perfect balance for future Quick Play: Hacked playtest periods.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is Blizzard's free-to-play team-based first-person shooter. The title features some new heroes like Junker Queen and Sojourn, as well as returning favorites.
