Overwatch 2’s newest game mode is set to revive what’s left of the scrapped PvE in a very ambitious third playlist alongside Quick Play and Competitive Mode.
Revealed during OW2 Spotlight today, Stadium truly is an entirely new five-vs-five experience inside of Overwatch. It’s so different, it could even be considered its own spin-off game. It features third-person gameplay, its own ranked system with unique rewards, a best-of-seven game type, and in-game currency to upgrade heroes. It’s a lot.
It seems like it can be thought of as a mixture of different games and modes, such as MOBAs and even first-person competitive shooters like VALORANT or Counter-Strike with its setup, all with OW2‘s heroes and flare in a new perspective. But it all begins and ends with unlockable upgrades.
“These powerful upgrades will be able to alter your survivability and damage while even completely revamping your hero’s abilities,” Blizzard said of the new mode. “Stadium is packed with transformative Powers that players can create unique builds around, setting up more strategic encounters that enhance the hero fantasy beyond anything we’ve released, focused on letting you play how you want.”
Blizzard gave examples of potential build combinations and changes as Reinhardt using a lava-spreading Firestrike, Soldier: 76’s Biotic Field buffing the attack speed of allies standing within it, Kiriko throwing three kunai at once while also being able to freely teleport around the map, or “a battle Mercy that not only can clear the battlefield of enemies, but has a shield to protect fallen allies while being resurrected.”
The all-new mode also has its own unique UI featuring new icons and visual effects, allowing players to buy, sell, and review Mods that customize hero builds throughout the duration of a match. So, it sounds like it takes some fun aspects of other similar games and modes and puts a twist on them for OW2, making for an intriguing new experience, to say the least.
Stadium will kick off in season 16 in April and will begin with 14 core heroes to begin with, along with a set of maps and modes (Control, Push, Clash), with new heroes, maps, and modes to be added each season, helped along with feedback from the community. The new DPS hero Freja will launch then, as well.
Season 15 of OW2, and its game-changing Perks, begins next week on Feb. 18.
