Summary
Overwatch 2is making some changes to the Push, Flashpoint, Hybrid, and Escort game modes to make them faster-paced. These speed adjustments are being made in response to positive feedback during the recent Quicker Play testOverwatch 2held as a part of its new Quick Play: Hacked feature.
In January,Overwatch 2introduced Quick Play: Hacked, a limited-time, recurring event where the casual game mode would experience experimental changes. The inaugural test was called Quicker Play, which reduced respawn times, sped up payloads and push bots, and increased the capture and scoring speed of objectives.
Now,Overwatch 2has announced it is taking some of these changes and permanently adding them to the core game. In a recentOverwatch 2Director’s Take blog, game director Aaron Keller revealed it was implementing some of the more well-received speed buffs from Quicker Play. In Push, the bot’s movement speed while pushing the barricade will be increased, and the match length in Quick Play will be reduced to 8 minutes. Competitive Push games will still be 10 minutes for the time being, thoughOverwatch 2may change that in the future. Additionally, all players will receive a speed boost when leaving the spawn in Flashpoint, as will defenders during setup in Hybrid and Escort.
Keller also spoke about how it would run future Quick Play: Hacked events. Based on feedback from Quicker Play,Overwatch 2will be using a separate game card next to Quick Play when testing disruptive twists to the normal flow of the game. Less-disruptive experiments may fully replace Quick Play as Quicker Play did, but Overwatch 2 may test them for shorter periods of time if they still make moderately drastic changes. Even so, thebig changes fromOverwatch 2Season 9prove it isn’t afraid to mix things up outside of Quick Play: Hacked.
Some fans wondered whyOverwatch 2didn’t use separate game modes, such as the oldExperimental card from the originalOverwatch, to test these changes in the first place. According to Keller’s data, only 18% of players tried Experimental mode when it was available, most of whom only queued for a single game. In an effort to ensure it gets the data and feedback it needs without fully disrupting the player experience,Overwatch 2will be trying to strike the perfect balance for future Quick Play: Hacked playtest periods.
Overwatch 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
