Blizzard Hears Fans On Overwatch 2 Battle Pass Complaints Slug

One of the most contentious things about Overwatch 2 has been the beloved hero shooter’s shift from paid game to free-to-play download supported by grindy battle passes. Blizzard now says it wants to address those concerns moving forward, ironing out the game’s progression in future seasons so that players feel “more rewarded just for sitting down and playing.”

“For Season 3 and beyond, we’re looking at a mix of Battle Pass changes, more interesting Challenges to pursue, and more exciting play-focused progression systems for you all to dig into. We’ll be able to talk about some of these changes soon, but other changes may take more time to lock-in,” recently hired executive producer, Jared Neuss, wrote in a new update.

In the meantime, Season 2, which starts on December 6 and adds Ramattra, will see each new dedicated event introduce its own unique skin that can be unlocked just by playing. Twitch drops, which give players access to new cosmetics by watching their favorite Overwatch 2 streamers, will continue as well. I don’t think this will satisfy the game’s most vocal critics immediately, but it’s at least an acknowledgement that the status quo isn’t sustainable.

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Since the game launched, players have been frustrated by new heroes being locked behind the paid battle pass, the length of time it takes to rank it up, and the high prices of all the skins. The current state of affairs has even had some players pining for the loot boxes from the first game. And all of this has only been compounded by broken characters, delayed patches, and random bugs like a recent glitch that kept some players unable to progress in ranked play.

For now, Blizzard is working on awarding support players more XP to incentivize them to pick that role and help alleviate queue times. Overwatch 2 is also currently handing out Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko highlight intros for those who log in during certain time periods over the next week. Blizzard has even turned on crossplay aim assist for console players in all modes except competitive because the alternative was a “bad experience.”

“Players who’ve stuck with us, players who’ve returned, and players who are just now jumping in the fun—thank you for playing Overwatch 2,” Neuss wrote today. “We have an incredible community, and I hope that by opening up about what we’re thinking more, we can keep growing together.”