The original Overwatch was a smash hit for Blizzard, so it wasn't all that surprising when the company finally announced Overwatch 2. Overwatch 2 was first revealed at BlizzCon 2019, and while it still has no solid release date in sight, the game has finally reached the point where it's ready for beta testing. The first Overwatch 2 beta is a closed beta exclusive to PC gamers, and it gives select fans the chance to try some of the new content that's on the way.
The Overwatch 2 PvP closed beta is just that, a beta, so it's a far cry from content-complete. However, it still gives Overwatch fans the chance to try new Damage hero Sojourn, the new Push map, and the various hero reworks that are coming to the game.
There are some concerns with Overwatch 2 after playing the closed beta, but most fans should come away cautiously optimistic for the future of Blizzard's hero-shooter.
Overwatch 2 Quality of Life Improvements
The first Overwatch stands out as one of the highest-rated video game releases of the last decade, but there's always room for improvement. Blizzard has taken some feedback in mind with Overwatch 2, making various quality of life improvements to make experience better for players.
One of the biggest Overwatch 2 quality of life improvements is the new ping system. Overwatch 2's ping system makes communication easier between players who don't want to use voice chat, though it seems most players in the beta are sticking to the usual call-outs of spamming "I need healing!" and the like. Over time, it seems likely that the Overwatch 2 ping system will be used more frequently as fans get used to it, and it can really be a big help when it comes to letting teammates know the game plan. Console gamers may get more use out of it since PC gamers can type messages to their teammates faster, but it's an appreciated upgrade regardless.
The other new addition that Overwatch 2 players will enjoy is the new scoreboard that displays information more like a traditional FPS game. This scoreboard gives players real-time feedback that may help them better adjust their strategy. For example, they may think that the DPS is slacking, but then when they see that their teammates actually have a fairly high K/D, they may realize that a Tank change is necessary instead.
On the flip side, it's easy to see how the Overwatch 2 scoreboard could encourage toxicity. Overwatch is already a notoriously toxic experience in Competitive Play, and now that everyone's stats are displayed, it could exacerbate the issues. The stakes are low in the Overwatch 2 beta, though, so this is something that won't really be known until the full game is out and Competitive Play SR is on the line.
Overwatch 2 Push Mode is a Blast
Those playing the Overwatch 2 beta will know that they mostly find themselves in familiar matches on familiar maps. This is because Overwatch 2 is carrying over the PvP content from the previous game, and so there's admittedly not much in the way of new content. One big exception to that, however, is the new Push mode.
Overwatch 2's Push mode was first revealed to fans years ago, and it's the big new addition to the PvP experience. It's basically the Overwatch version of Tug-of-War, with two teams trying to force a large robot in the center of the map as close to the opposing team's spawn as possible. It has the centralized action of Control maps, but with the environmental variety of Escort maps since the robot is being pushed in both directions.
The Push mode is a real highlight of the Overwatch 2 PvP beta, with fans able to check out it out through the Colosseo and New Queen Street maps. It might be so much fun simply because of how new it feels compared to the other game modes on offer, but based on the beta, Push seems like a fantastic new addition to the game.
Overwatch 2 May Be a Little Too Familiar
One huge downside from the Overwatch 2 beta is that it is way too similar to the original game. It doesn't so much feel like a proper sequel as it does an expansion. The new stuff that's here is good and a ton of fun to play, but it doesn't necessarily come across as a significant step forward for the franchise.
And this is even with big changes to the fundamentals of Overwatch, like dropping team sizes from six to five and completely reworking multiple characters. Most of the maps are pulled from the first game and most of the time players will find themselves playing on the Control, Escort, and Hybrid maps that they've been playing on for six years now. Granted, some of the maps now have day and night variants, but they're still the same from a design standpoint.
The real meat and potatoes of Overwatch 2 may very well be the new co-op story content, which has been compared to Valve's Left 4 Dead and looks to provide a completely different kind of experience than PvP. The problem is that Blizzard has decided to release Overwatch 2 PvP separately from the campaign, so there's no telling when the story content is actually coming to the hero-shooter.
With that in mind, some Overwatch fans may want to hold off on picking up the sequel until the story content is out. After all, Overwatch 1 and Overwatch 2 mostly share PvP, so while Overwatch 1 players will be missing out on some things, they will otherwise have generally the same experience. That's assuming Blizzard's plans about Overwatch 2 and Overwatch 1 sharing content haven't changed, that is.
Overwatch 2 Matchmaking Times Are a Big Problem
Unfortunately, something else that will be immediately familiar to longtime Overwatch fans when they play Overwatch 2 are the obnoxious matchmaking times. When playing Overwatch 2 role queue, it's not uncommon for the game to take upwards of 10 minutes to get players loaded in, which is a big issue plaguing the original game right now. The solution is for players to go into open queue, which allows them to get into matches almost instantly.
The downside to Overwatch 2 open queue is that there's always the chance that there will be people who aren't playing to the benefit of the team, refusing to select roles that would be most advantageous for the given situation. However, that may be a trade-off Overwatch fans are willing to make if it means they can get into games quicker.
Blizzard has time between now and Overwatch 2's launch to figure out a way to either improve role queue match times or come up with some other solution. It's been reported that Blizzard sent out a survey seeing if Overwatch 2 fans want to do away with one of the queues entirely, so it will be interesting to see what happens.
Overwatch 2's Switch to 5v5 is a Big Risk
In terms of maps and game modes, Overwatch 2 is a little too similar to the first game. However, the switch from 6v6 to 5v5 and having only one Tank is a big risk. At its core, Overwatch 2 is still the same Overwatch, but it does make players approach the game differently. With only one Tank on any given team, things are a little more fast-paced, but at the same time, it feels like squishier characters have to play more conservatively if they want to stay alive.
This is especially apparent with the Support class. Overwatch 2 Support heroes have not received big reworks like the Tank heroes have gotten, and it has made playing Support somewhat less fun than with the old 6v6 setup. Blizzard is aware of this and is already working on solutions, like how it buffed Zenyatta's kick to let him knock DPS heroes away, but it's clear that there is still more work to be done on the Support side of things.
There are certainly some concerns when it comes to the Overwatch 2 PvP beta, but Blizzard has shown that it's quick to address fan feedback, like when it released the aforementioned update to buff Zenyatta. The move to 5v5 is a risky one, but the new content is an exciting breath of fresh air. There will likely be Overwatch 2 betas for console players and more PC betas in the future, so fans can count on the game evolving between now and whenever it finally launches.
Overwatch 2 is in development.