In a surprising move, Blizzard Entertainment has brought its highly anticipated game, Overwatch 2, to the Steam platform, marking a departure from its long-standing exclusive partnership with Battle.net.

However, this unexpected shift has caused a storm of negative reviews on Steam, with Overwatch 2 quickly becoming the lowest-rated game in the platform’s history.

Within just 48 hours of its debut, the game has amassed over 87,000 overwhelmingly negative reviews, raising concerns about its monetization strategies and casting doubt on Blizzard’s future plans for Steam releases.

Overwatch 2 lowest rated game on Steam

The negative reception of Overwatch 2 on Steam raises questions about the future of Blizzard’s collaboration with the platform. While the company cited a desire to expand accessibility as a reason for the move, the vehement backlash may influence Blizzard’s decision-making process moving forward.

The company’s intention to bring more titles to Steam may face scrutiny if players perceive this shift as a mere attempt to maximize profits, potentially impacting Blizzard’s reputation and player trust.

You can read the reviews on Steam here.

Factors contributed in the players outrage

Controversial Monetization Strategies Draw Backlash

One of the primary factors contributing to the deluge of negative reviews is the contentious monetization model of Overwatch 2. The decision to charge a full price for the original Overwatch, only to transition it into a free-to-play model with aggressive monetization in Overwatch 2, has left a significant portion of the player base feeling aggrieved.

Critics argue that this shift is not only predatory but also a betrayal of the player’s investment in the first game. The sentiment is echoed in many reviews, which decry the sequel as a more exploitative version of its predecessor.

Blizzard’s move to discontinue support for Overwatch 1 in October 2022, effectively pushing players towards the sequel, has further fueled the discontent.

This strategy, designed to accelerate the adoption of Overwatch 2, has been met with vehement opposition, as players view it as an attempt to strong-arm them into accepting the new monetization scheme.

Battle Pass Model and PvE Content Scrapped

The criticism extends to Overwatch 2’s in-game economy, particularly its implementation of a battle pass model. Many players perceive this approach as anti-consumer, claiming that it hinders the enjoyment of the game by locking content behind a paywall.

The battle pass model has been a point of contention for both veteran players and newcomers, who lament the departure from the more player-friendly progression system in the original Overwatch.

Additionally, the disappointment stemming from the abandonment of promised Player versus Environment (PvE) content has been a recurring theme in the negative reviews. Fans had eagerly anticipated engaging PvE experiences, only to see their hopes dashed as Blizzard scaled back these features. This sense of letdown has contributed to the growing dissatisfaction surrounding Overwatch 2.