Overwatch 2: Devs Reveal New Game Mode, Map Frequency Issue & More

All the new reveals in Overwatch 2 including the new game mode and an update on the map frequency issue.

The Overwatch 2 Season 3 will be here in just a few days from now, which means that there will be loads of new things we will have access to. We’ve already covered some of the confirmed competitive mode changes and other things, so make sure to check them before playing. 

With that said, the Overwatch 2 devs provided us with more information about the game’s future. In a statement released by Aaron Keller on February 3 , he said, “You were right. We were wrong. Map Pools are going away starting in season 4”. This came as a surprise to a lot of people for numerous reasons.

For starters, this is probably the first time someone from Blizzard has admitted a mistake. What’s even more surprising is that the devs decided to listen to the community and give them what they wanted. 

The statement from Aaron Keller was very interesting, so let’s learn more about some of the things we’ve learned from it.

The mistake

One of the reasons why map pools were added was to help players concentrate on a couple of options per season. The idea was that each Overwatch 2 season should have its own identity by providing players with a specific number of maps. However, it is safe to say that the community wasn’t happy because players got bored from playing the same maps repeatedly when Overwatch 2 has many options.

According to Aaron, “player sentiment around map pools was pretty low, the map roster doesn’t have enough maps where we truly need them, and the impact they had on seasonal identity was fairly low”. Despite that, he said that Overwatch 2’s team could return the map pools back once they have access to more maps.

Aaron continued by saying that the new map pool will consist of faster-rotating maps. Interestingly, he even suggested those who dislike the idea set a reminder for 2 years from now and tell the devs how they feel.

Map frequency

Aside from admitting the Overwatch 2 dev’s team mistake regarding the map pools, Aaron also addresses the map frequency problems. As you probably know, most people from the Overwatch 2 community aren’t happy that they keep playing the same maps. If you’ve played OW2 in Season 2, you’ve probably noticed that things like Colesseo are much more popular than other maps.

Even though Aaron said that the dev team does not use a specific code to favor one map over the other, he revealed why Colosseo might be more popular than the rest. According to the Overwatch 2 dev, the matchmaking system tries to provide players with different game modes all the time. So, since there aren’t that many Push maps, things like Colosseo appear more often than they should.

Unsurprisingly, the dev team will try to sort out the map frequency problem later down the road. They will have to do this because a new Game Mode will soon make things even more complicated.

Other news

In addition to admitting the team’s mistakes and addressing the map frequency problem, Aaron Keller also said that the team is still working on some maps, such as Gibraltar. According to him, the team is looking for level design changes to fix the problem and will try to do it without making significant map changes. It seems like we won’t be getting those things in Season 4.

Lastly, the Overwatch 2 dev also addressed some issues related to the game modes. As you probably know, some players weren’t happy that the events focused too much on playing the game mode. It seems like the dev team agrees, which is why they will try to include more challenges so that people can feel free to play the way they want.

What’s interesting is that these changes will be included in Season 3. So, keep an eye on everything new and follow us for the latest Overwatch 2 information.

New Game Mode

One of the interesting things we learned yesterday is that there will be a new Game mode in Overwatch 2. There will also be a new map called Antarctic Peninsula, and we even got a snake peak of what to expect from it. 

To be honest, we do not know much information about the new map or game mode yet. However, Blizzard said several times that the Antarctic Peninsula control map will be the biggest. Of course, releasing a new game mode with just one map won’t be ideal. Hence, we expect to learn more information about at least a couple of maps that will be using the new mode.

Another interesting thing about the new map is that it will include a Fishing minigame. From what we know, players will have the option to shoot through fishing holes and catch something. Even though this isn’t the change that some people hoped for, it will definitely have an impact on the map’s popularity.

These were just some of the things we’ve learned, which means that there might be even more new things in the upcoming Overwatch 2 seasons. After years of complaining about Blizzard’s unwillingness to listen to its customers, it seems like things have changed. The devs are paying close attention to players’ feedback, which is definitely a plus.