Summary
The addition of the Wave Respawn mechanic inOverwatch 2Season 12 has reportedly lowered the number of one-sided matches by up to 8% depending on rank and game mode. By ensuring players respawn together after a lost skirmish, fewerOverwatch 2matches end in stomps than they previously did.
Overwatch 2Season 12 began on August 20, bringing with it a new support hero, game mode, and ranked reset to Competitive Play. However, one of the most impactful changes to everydayOverwatch 2matches came with Wave Respawn, the evolved form of Group Respawn added in Season 7. This new feature has players “catch” other heroes in their wave if they die within 6 seconds of one another, resurrecting them in groups, rather than individually.
With just over a week of data to examine,Overwatch 2has revealed how much Wave Respawn is improving the health of the game. In a thread on Twitter,Overwatch 2systems designer Gavin Winter explained that Quick Play has had up to an 8% decrease in one-sided matches after the implementation of Wave Respawn, with fewer at higher skill levels. This is on top of the drastic reduction already seen by the Group Respawn feature, which hasbeen in Quick Play for severalOverwatch 2seasons now.
Overwatch 2 Wave Respawn’s Positive Impact
For Competitive Play,Overwatch 2was expecting an increase in lopsided matches due to the ranked reset, as players of all levels of skill are matched against each other while their matchmaking ratings are reassessed. However, Winter revealed this season has actually had about 5% fewer one-sided matches than Season 11, meaning Wave Respawn had a bigger impact on the fairness ofOverwatch 2matches than the ranked reset from Season 12did. As fans reach their appropriate MMRs, this reduction will probably get even more significant.
This is great news for the health ofOverwatch 2. One-sided matches are usually only fun for one team, so trying to prevent them is always a good goal for any PvP game. So far, players seem to enjoy Wave Respawn, as it discourages their teammates from running off on their own and turning a single lost skirmish into a stomp. It is the natural evolution of Group Respawn, and it appears to be improving on the trends its predecessor set, while expanding it to more game modes.
The Wave Respawn feature is still pretty new, but the numbers already seem to support it being a net positive forOverwatch 2as a whole – and that will probably only become more apparent with time. Between it and otherfuture experiments like 6v6 potentially coming toOverwatch 2, it is clear Blizzard is doubling down on seeking long-term ways to improve the game.
Overwatch 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
