BlizzCon 2023 Unveils Competitive Revamp for Overwatch 2

Article Key Points

Overwatch 2 is introducing changes to the competitive ranking system, addressing community feedback for more clarity and transparency in players' skill tiers.

The upcoming rework will eliminate the need for players to win particular games in order to update their competitive rank. Instead, players will receive immediate feedback on how each game influences their ranking.

Furthermore, the competitive system overhaul will introduce a brand new rank called "Ultimate" for the top Overwatch 2 players. Additionally, players can expect fresh cosmetics and a rank reset for everyone accompanied by enhanced placement matches.

During BlizzCon 2023's Overwatch 2 Deep Dive, the development team unveiled upcoming changes to competitive ranks in Blizzard's FPS. These changes aim to address community feedback for greater clarity on how competitive ranks function in Overwatch 2.

Upon its October 2022 release, Overwatch 2 brought several modifications to the competitive system of its FPS predecessor, 2016's Overwatch. Previously, players accrued points indicating their Skill Rating (SR) through participating in competitive matches. This SR determined their placement in specific tiers, such as Bronze for lower SR players, and Grandmaster and Top 500 for top-performing Overwatch players. However, with the release of Overwatch 2, this SR feature was replaced by a more abstract system that assigned players to skill tiers and divisions, without providing a clear indication of their exact matchmaking score. This change resulted in some confusion as to why players would find themselves placed in a lower Overwatch 2 skill tier than anticipated.

The Overwatch 2 development team has announced a revamp of the competitive ranking system to provide a clearer representation of players' skill progress. Currently, players must win 5 games or lose 15 matches to see any changes in their rank. However, the new system will eliminate this requirement and instead offer immediate feedback on how each game impacts a player's overall ranking. Following each competitive game in Overwatch 2, a progress bar will display the exact increase or decrease in the player's rank and show their progress towards reaching the next skill tier.

In addition to this upcoming change, the Overwatch 2 team has made two other modifications. They have hinted at introducing a new rank called "Ultimate" for the most skilled players in Overwatch 2, surpassing the existing Grandmaster rank. Furthermore, players participating in competitive matches will also be rewarded with new cosmetics known as Emerald weapons. When the competitive system revamp is launched, all players will experience a rank reset, although the Overwatch 2 team promises an improved placement match system to accurately determine each player's skill level and assign them to an appropriate competitive skill tier based on their abilities.

All Overwatch 2 Changes and Additions Announced At Blizzcon 2023

Opinions among players are divided when it comes to the changes made to the competitive ranking system in Overwatch 2. Some players have expressed concerns, drawing comparisons to the previous SR system in the original Overwatch. They question whether Blizzard simply reverted to the old system instead of introducing a truly enhanced experience. On the other hand, there are players who find satisfaction in this announcement, believing that it will bring greater transparency to their progress in achieving a higher competitive rank.

Besides this competitive rework, the Overwatch 2 development team announced various changes coming to Blizzard’s FPS in the upcoming months:

New tank hero available in Season 8: Mauga.

New damage hero available in Season 10: Venture.

New support hero available in Season 12: Space Ranger (currently just a codename).

New 3-player co-op mode called Hero Mastery: Gauntlet.

New Hero Mastery missions for Mei, D.Va, Echo, Lucio, and Genji.

New game mode Clash.

New Clash map: Hanaoka, a revamped version of Hanamura.

Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play team-based first-person shooter developed by Blizzard. The game introduces several new heroes, including Junker Queen and Sojourn, while also bringing back fan-favorites from the original installment.

Franchise: Overwatch

Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Switch, Xbox One S, Xbox One X, PC

Release Date: October 4, 2022

Developer: Blizzard

Publisher: Blizzard

Genre: Shooter

Crossplay Supported Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I am excited about the upcoming changes to the competitive ranking system in Overwatch 2. The new system will provide players with more clarity and transparency into their progress, which is something that the community has been asking for. I am also looking forward to the new rank called "Ultimate," which will be the highest rank in the game. This will give players something to strive for and will help to keep the game competitive.

However, I am concerned about the rank reset that will accompany the new system. This means that everyone will be starting from scratch, which could be frustrating for players who have already achieved a high rank. I hope that the new placement matches will be accurate and will place players at the correct skill level.

Overall, I think that the changes to the competitive ranking system in Overwatch 2 are a positive step. They will make the game more transparent and competitive, and will give players something to strive for. I am looking forward to seeing how the new system works out when it is released.