Blizzard made a big gamble with Overwatch. Following the struggles of Overwatch 2, which saw a declining player base and unhappy fans, they once again relaunched the game as a new and definitive Overwatch. Reusing the name of the first release but pushing forwards their UI design, approach to seasonal content and hero designs, they started a new era for the genre-defining hero shooter: and it seems it might be paying off.
Taking a look at the Steam charts for Overwatch paints a revealing picture, and it’s one we’re sure the team at Blizzard are glad to see. Since the February 10 launch of the new and improved Overwatch, along with all its Season 1 content, the player count has consistently come in above a concurrent peak of 100,000 Steam players per day. This is an extraordinary feat given its historical context; there was a time that Overwatch could only ever peak around 32,000 concurrent players just a few weeks prior to its relaunch.
To consistently have such high player counts on Steam is particularly impressive given Overwatch‘s huge PC popularity on Battle.net, Blizzard’s proprietary launcher for all its big releases. If the Steam player count could spike so high and stay there, especially as the Season runs on and players redeem all their rewards and yet continue to play, then it also suggests that players on other platforms are likely doing the same.
Steam player count does not determine the quality of a game, but when discussing a live-service release then it’s often still an important factor for consideration. These kinds of games are reliant on an engaged and active player base, and often live (or die) by how their most dedicated and engaged audience responds to their content updates. When Overwatch 2 had an unhappy fanbase, it had lower players. Blizzard changing so much in response clearly suggests that the player base and their satisfaction matters to how they run their business and manage the game, so in these conditions we can consider Steam charts to be an important metric for consideration.
Looking ahead, Overwatch‘s upcoming Season 2 starts next month on April 14, and it will add another new hero, along with the long-awaited return of post-match accolades, and a 10 year anniversary celebration to mark a decade of Overwatch. This is a promising line-up, and we’re eager to see how the player base’s engagement could change as we approach the next season. The online gaming space has never been more fierce with its competition, and the winners and losers are never static.
