Blizzard’sOverwatch 2is just a week away from the launch of Season 2. The official release ofOverwatch 2’s trailer for Season 2has many fans excited for upcoming events and new content, in spite of some criticisms that came about in regard to limited player progression and rewards. Additionally, since the originalOverwatch’s servers shut down to make room for the sequel, there is an abundance of fans who have stuck around in hopes of seeing the original return in some manner.
Overwatch 2Season 1 saw the implementation of Push Mode – in place of Assault, otherwise known as 2CP – among other additions. Alongside new heroes and maps, it’s confirmed that Blizzard is also working on new modes which include limited-time events like Battle for Olympus and Wrath of the Bride. With these modes on the horizon, it would make sense forOverwatch 2to also add the classicOverwatchgame mode of six-man teams into the Arcade.
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The Biggest Change From the Original Overwatch
2016’sOverwatchdebuted with a 6v6 format, which was laterreplaced inOverwatch 2by five-player teams. Cutting down to one tank benefited players who had grown tired of going up against double-shield compositions such as Orisa and Reinhardt. On the other hand, there are still those who miss having a sixth player on their team. Removing the second tank player turned the sequel into a faster-paced game. This had some people commenting thatOverwatch 2resembled Deathmatch a bit more because aggression and eliminations are more rewarding now.
This change also meant that most of the existing tanks would need at least a few reworks to essentially become DPS with double the health. Orisa now has an entirely new kit, Reinhardt has more flexible Charges and Flame Strikes, and the newest tankRamattra will be able to change between two forms.
Overwatch 2 Could Greatly Benefit From Nostalgia
The synergy that once existed between tanks such as Reinhardt and Zarya, is unfortunately not part of theOverwatch 2experience. While users are able to play old modes in Arcade such as Assault,Overwatch 2still limits players to the new 5v5 format. If Blizzard wanted to cater to the community that existed prior toOverwatch 2while also allowing new players to see what the game used to be like, it could push out a “Classic 6v6” mode for Season 2 or after. After all, it came as a genuine surprise to many that theOverwatchprime would no longer be playable whenOverwatch2 launched, seeing as former game director Jeff Kaplan had originally promised the servers would stay up.
The “Classic 6v6” mode could potentially see heroes regain the playstyles that they used to have, such asCassidy having a Flashbang Grenade rather than a Magnetic Grenadeand Doomfist playing as a damage character. A step further could make it so that the only playable heroes are the ones that were on the roster before the firstOverwatchservers closed. This would mean that Sojourn, Junker Queen, Kiriko, Ramattra, or any new additions thereafter would not be available.
Of course, if new heroes were to be taken out, it would also make sense ifnewOverwatch2 mapsweren’t included to help simulate the feeling of nostalgia. While newer maps like Circuit Royale and Midtown are favorites for some, in order to truly capture what made the firstOverwatchso special, Blizzard should keep the map pool as it was. Assault could return as it was first meant to be.
Having more diversity in game modes that are available to the player base may also help with the burnout that some players have admitted to feeling, especially because of thelimited map rotations inOverwatch 2. With the excitement of the game’s launch dying down and Season 2 on the way, now would be an optimal time to reintroduce the old 6v6 format.
Overwatch 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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