Overwatch 2 introduced several major changes upon its release at the end of 2022, including replacing loot boxes with season passes, five vs. five gameplay, new maps, modes, and more. Among all these changes, one of the biggest that has been very hit or miss in the player base was the removal of profile levels.
That topic has flared back into the public eye this week, with OW2 players swarming to a Reddit thread on April 17 to call on Blizzard to bring the feature back.
Profile levels indicate how much a player has played Overwatch. And with removing these profile levels, many players feel like the time they’ve spent grinding in Overwatch has been for nothing and that it was Blizzard’s worst decision.
According to a recent Overwatch 2 Director’s Take, where the devs often break down development details, Blizzard designers admitted they are trying to implement a more rewarding system to replace the old mechanic. Their focus is on a better feeling for players, as a lot of the feedback they’ve received states Overwatch 2 doesn’t do a good enough job of rewarding and recognizing the investment players make regarding playtime.
So, they want to make a system where players can earn rewards without spending too much time grinding. This was one of the primary objectives of the Battle Pass.
While some players don’t like that profile levels have been removed and want them back, others say it’s a good thing because they believe players shouldn’t view their levels as part of their identity. To them, it’s not a core mechanic for the sequel shooter, and there are many other titles out there that offer rewarding level progression.
But, with the removal of the profile levels and the introduction of the Battle Passes, it’s unclear what Blizzard’s next steps will be in terms of progression and rewards.
Unfortunately, until then, Overwatch players will have to work towards progressing through passes rather than leveling up their profiles.
Published: Apr 17, 2023 08:47 pm