Like Fortnite OG, Overwatch Classic Could Become a Permanent Mode After High Engagement Rates During Event

There’s no denying the fact that Fortnite OG was a massive success for Fortnite. Not only did Epic Games bring it back to the Chapter 2 map this year, but the company also went ahead and announced that it would become a permanent mode with the launch of Chapter 6.

After years of demand, even Blizzard gave Overwatch 2 players their own iteration of the mode with Overwatch Classic. While its trial run may have come to an end, there’s a high chance that it could return to the hero-shooter as a permanent edition. It seems like Blizzard is finally making the right moves.

Overwatch Classic was a Huge Success For Blizzard

One of the biggest departures that Overwatch 2 made from its predecessor was axing the traditional 6v6 matches to bring a 5v5 formula that’s now running rampant in the industry. Critics and fans alike bashed this move for a number of reasons.

Overwatch Classic finally brought back 6-player teams for a limited time and even gave us old abilities for some heroes from way back in the day, such as Scatter Arrow for Hanzo. With the event completing its three-week run, the game’s director, Aaron Keller, gave players an insight into how it performed via various statistics.

Overall we're really happy with how well Classic did. And we're excited to bring it back in S14 with a different time period from the original game highlighted. We're not quite ready to talk about the exact date, but expect it… soon.

— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) December 7, 2024

According to Keller, 36% of all player hours were invested in the Classic game mode when it debuted, and that’s quite a massive feat. Even though this metric dipped to 4% by the time the event was reaching its end, it was quite usual for a limited mode.

Another great statistic is that 71% of active gamers tried Overwatch Classic at least once on the day it went live. This proves that even though the game has brought in a new audience, most of the gamers still want the original title to return.

The overall number of gamers playing Overwatch Classic on the daily also dipped to 11% as the event ended. It’s quite a big chunk, but it still made the mode the fourth most popular one in the game at the time.

Marvel Rivals Isn’t Making the Same Blunders as Overwatch 2

Even though Keller and his team might consider Marvel Rivals to be an Overwatch 2 clone, the minds behind the title NetEase Games have learned from its biggest rival and are making the right calls.

When Overwatch 2 first hit the shelves in October 2022, it ended up making some questionable decisions with regards to its predatory monetization practices.

Even though the game was free to jump into, most of its progression centered around a Battle Pass. All new heroes were locked behind this Battle Pass, forcing gamers to spend money to get their hands on new ones.

However, Marvel Rivals has avoided this issue. The game’s 33 launch heroes are unlockable for free, and all future additions will also be available at no cost. This will also be true for any modes or maps added in the future.

Marvel Rivals is only charging players for cosmetics, and even that’s done reasonably. Gamers can get a free Battle Pass that gives them new skins, cinematics, and other cosmetics.

There’s also a Luxury Battle Pass for additional rewards. What’s great is that if players choose to purchase the premium Battle Pass, they can finish at their own pace even after the season ends.

With that said, do you want Blizzard to make Overwatch Classic a permanent addition? Let us know in the comments below.

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