Overwatch’s Journey: From Steam’s Lowest Ratings to ‘Mixed’ Reviews in Three Years

Overwatch has hit a significant milestone this week, transitioning from “Mostly Negative” (39% or fewer positive reviews) to “Mixed” on Steam, based on user feedback. Time to celebrate with some confetti and dance emotes!

Since its arrival on Steam in August 2023, Overwatch (originally known as Overwatch 2) faced a torrent of criticism. During its launch month, only 10% of Steam users left positive reviews, making it the lowest-rated game on the platform. It has since climbed to the 20th worst-rated game, according to Steam 250’s Hall of Shame Ranking.

Initially, much of the backlash centered on the changes Blizzard made in this “sequel,” such as reducing team sizes from six to five players, which disrupted established squad dynamics. Additionally, the shift to a free-to-play model meant that new characters had to be purchased or unlocked through the Battle Pass, a decision Blizzard later reversed in 2024.

One of the biggest grievances was that the new version of Overwatch completely replaced the original, which is a common issue with live-service games. Although Blizzard eventually dropped the “2” from the title, the original Overwatch was no longer available.

Another major disappointment was the absence of a substantial PvE component that was initially promised. After a few lackluster missions, this aspect was shelved due to development challenges, leaving many players feeling that the changes didn’t justify calling it a sequel.

However, Blizzard has been working to mend its relationship with players. In response to its main competitor, Overwatch has introduced new characters at a much faster rate, releasing five new heroes in February and planning a total of 10 for 2026.

“I don’t really get all the hate,” one Steam user commented. “The new characters are fun with interesting kits, the battle pass offers good value, and there are plenty of opportunities to earn loot boxes for free cosmetics. The paid cosmetics have been solid too; overall, the game has something for everyone, from Currency Whales to F2P players.”

“I think this game deserves interest and attention,” another review stated. “It gave me a breath of fresh air after many years of playing TF2. Even after intense 4–5 hour sessions, I still look forward to playing it again.”

Despite these positive notes, the game still faces criticism, as reflected in its 40% approval rating on Steam. A significant concern is the high cost of microtransactions, with hero skins priced higher than some indie games. A recent bundle costs 9,900 Overwatch Coins, and a 10,000 Coin bundle is priced at $99.99. “Greedy trash company, now charging $100 for a bundle, even $60 is unreasonable,” one review lamented.

Others have pointed out the game’s toxic player base and how its design often leads to teammates clashing instead of collaborating. “This is the worst game I’ve ever played in my life,” declared a player with over 200 hours logged. “I hate you, Tracer. I hate you, Sombra. I hate you, Doomfist. I hate my Ana who had 11k less healing than me. I hate Junkrat. I hate Reaper. I hate every single character in this disgusting evil game. And yet I will return every time. Evil. This is evil.”

Nonetheless, Overwatch appears to be on a path toward improvement. At this rate, it might just reach “Mostly Positive” on Steam by 2030.

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