Overwatch 2: Controversial Release on Steam

Overwatch 2 was released on Steam a week ago. After over three days, it immediately became the game with the lowest rating across the entire platform. Even if most of the negative reviews resulted from “review bombers,” it was still a colossal failure for Activision Blizzard. It doesn’t make a nice impression and shows that the Overwatch community isn’t happy about it either.

Optimism Amidst Controversy

Activision Blizzard’s staff continue to have a positive outlook on the future of Overwatch 2, which was released before the end of the previous year with an all-new free-to-play operating model. This is despite the controversy that has surrounded the game. Aaron Keller, the Director of Overwatch 2, has issued a statement acknowledging the lackluster performance of Overwatch 2 on Steam but expressing optimism about the game’s future.

On Steam, Overwatch has received 152,850 reviews; nevertheless, most (91%) are negative. It’s astounding, but unfortunately, many can be attributed to dishonest practices.

Addressing the Criticisms

Despite this, the game’s director, Aaron Keller, has disputed the idea that Overwatch 2 was a failure in numerous public statements. First, he spoke about the widely known inability of Blizzard to produce the player-versus-environment content that had been originally promised:

The removal of the significantly expanded PvE component that was supposed to be released in 2019 is cited as one of the key causes for players’ unhappiness with the game in many reviews on Steam. I am aware of that. That announcement concerned a large-scale endeavor, which we were eventually unable to carry out.

He emphasized that there is no way to turn back the hands of time but that the team is dedicated to making Overwatch 2 better over time. They are effectively ignoring the unfavorable reviews posted on Steam. They will continue to release updates according to their original schedule. These updates include new stories, cosmetics, features, and game modes.

Finding Positivity Amongst the Negativity

However, Keller did express one favorable sentiment, which is as follows:

We have heard from many of our core players that the game’s current state is by far the finest it has ever been. This season is a culmination, as many people have pointed out to us, and they feel we are listening to their criticism.

Although it may have received negative reviews, Keller quickly pointed out that many new players have joined the Overwatch 2 platform ever since the game was made available on Steam, so… Every single thing, including the weather.