Overwatch 2 Player Count Soars on Steam After Game Updates

Overwatch 2, the free-to-play sequel to Blizzard's popular hero shooter game, has seen its player count on Steam reach new heights in recent months. This comes after a rocky launch in October 2022 that was met with controversy over bugs, microtransactions, and hero accessibility. Here is everything we know!

Overwatch 2 Highest Player Count Since Launch

According to data from SteamCharts, Overwatch 2 hit a peak of over 60,000 concurrent players on Steam in the past 30 days. This count is the highest since the game launched on the platform in August 2023, nearly a year after its initial release. The average player count also exceeded 30,000 for the first time ever.

Battle Pass Rework in Overwatch 2

Players have commented that the updates Blizzard has implemented to address early criticisms are one of the reasons why the player count is increasing. Among these updates is a major overhaul of the Battle Pass system.

Launch controversies included new heroes being locked behind the Battle Pass or some challenges where you need to grind, which limited character selection for players who are not willing to spend money.

One player commented:

"As someone who has come back to the game recently, removing that limit on new character unlocks and setting it back to how it was where everyone can just play the new character when they were out helped a lot.

I missed seasons and the lengths to unlock characters. “I’ve already got one job, I don’t need a second one” was a step too far for me. Venture also looking fun to play helped too."

With hero restrictions now removed and in-game currency more earnable through gameplay, many players have felt excited to give Overwatch 2 another shot.

Overwatch 2 Overcomes a Stumbling Start

Overwatch 2's switch to free-to-play had a rough start, causing many players to leave after launch. Bugs, server problems, and aggressive microtransactions turned many players against the sequel. However, thanks to Blizzard for actually listening to all the feedback, now they have taken steps to smooth out the experience and make the game more rewarding for all players.

While Blizzard is fixing issues to make Overwatch 2 better, the recent Steam player counts already suggest that the game is improving. 

Time will tell if the game can fully recapture the success of Overwatch, but it's encouraging to see Blizzard listening to player feedback and improving the experience for everyone playing this colorful hero shooter. Are you one of the players that come back to the game after the updates?