After Becoming the Worst User-Reviewed Game Ever on Steam, Overwatch 2’s Recent Reviews Jump to ‘Mixed’

Overwatch 2 Season 15 has been well-received by the community, marking a turning point for a game that once held the title of the worst user-reviewed title on Steam. Nearly nine years since the original Overwatch launched in 2016, and over two years following the release of its sequel, the game has seen a notable shift in player sentiment.

In August 2023, Overwatch 2 became the most negatively reviewed game on Steam, largely due to backlash against its monetization model after Blizzard transitioned the premium original into a free-to-play sequel. This move rendered the first game unplayable as of 2022. The sequel faced additional challenges, including the cancellation of its highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, a feature many players believed justified the existence of the sequel.

Despite still carrying an overall “mostly negative” rating on Steam, recent feedback paints a more optimistic picture. In the past 30 days, 43% of the 5,325 reviews were positive—an improvement to a “mixed” reception. For a title that’s faced continuous criticism since launch, this marks a meaningful step forward.

What Changed with Season 15?

The arrival of Season 15 introduced sweeping changes to Overwatch 2, particularly within its core gameplay mechanics. Among the most impactful updates are the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes—features that harken back to the original Overwatch and have been welcomed by returning players.

While future content plans include standard additions like new heroes and maps, the foundational shifts in gameplay have resonated strongly with the player base. Positive feedback highlights how these changes feel like a return to form for the franchise.

“They just released Overwatch 2,” reads one recent review. “The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way.”

“For once, I must come to Overwatch's defense and say they really have stepped up their game,” writes another player. “Going back to what worked in Overwatch 1 while introducing new and fun mechanics to the game. A certain game made them LOCK IN and I couldn't be happier. Now we just gotta wait for next season with an actual cooler battlepass.”

The reference to “LOCK IN” points to the growing popularity of , a competitive hero shooter from NetEase that has amassed over 40 million downloads since its December launch. In response to this new competitive environment, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the changing landscape during a recent conversation with GamesRadar:

“We're obviously in a new competitive landscape that I think, for Overwatch, we've never really been in before, to this extent where there's another game that's so similar to the one that we've created.”

Rather than viewing the rise of competing titles as a threat, Keller described the situation as “exciting,” even praising Marvel Rivals for taking Overwatch’s established ideas in a “different direction.” He also admitted that the success of rival games has pushed Blizzard to take more creative risks:

“This is no longer about playing it safe.”

Is Overwatch 2 Back?

It's still early days, and declaring Overwatch fully “back” would be premature. The fluctuating nature of Steam reviews suggests that reaching anything better than a “mixed” reception will remain challenging. However, Season 15 has led to a visible increase in player numbers, with peak concurrent players nearly doubling to 60,000 on Steam.

It's important to note that Overwatch 2 is also available on Battle.net, PlayStation, and Xbox, though none of those platforms disclose live player statistics publicly.

For comparison, Marvel Rivals recently recorded a peak of 305,816 concurrent players on Steam alone within the last 24 hours—a strong indicator of its current popularity.

Nevertheless, the momentum generated by Season 15 gives hope that Blizzard may finally be steering Overwatch 2 in the right direction.

Overwatch 2 Season 15 Screenshots

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