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Though Battle Passes have become popular in gaming, prior to Overwatch 2's launch, fans were dreading its implementation. Despite this, no one had actually used the Battle Pass system, so it was only a matter of waiting and seeing just how it would work along with the many other changes made to the game, such as the adjustments to team structure, the re-working of certain heroes, and more. However, now, two months after Overwatch was shut down and Overwatch 2 launched, the Battle Pass is just as disastrous as fans had thought it would be.
In Overwatch, players were rewarded with loot boxes for leveling up and participating in seasonal events. These loot boxes were free with the option to buy bundles, but these consisted of cosmetics. Many of these cosmetics could also be purchased directly with credits that were given to players freely during gameplay. When Overwatch 2 launched, credits became more difficult to attain without spending real money, and loot boxes were scrapped in favor of the Battle Pass format. The switch to the Battle Pass came as the game transitioned from its predecessor's traditional one-time payment format to a free-to-play model.
Overwatch 2 Locks Key Content Behind Grinding & Paywalls
The main reason that players dislike Overwatch 2's Battle Pass is that it locks some of the game's key content behind tiers that are difficult to reach. Overwatch 2 is a game that relies heavily on the ability to switch between various heroes and learn their strengths, weaknesses, viable matchups, and counters. Older heroes are unlocked via a gradual unlock system, with characters being made available with the more games played -- with DPS character, Echo, being the highest at 150 games. New heroes are locked behind high tiers on the Battle Pass unless players shell out real-life money for the paid version.
In season one, the new Support hero, Kiriko, was locked at tier 55, and in season two, the new tank, Ramattra, was changed to be unlockable at tier 45 because of player response. However, these 10 tiers do not make a huge difference in helping players unlock the new characters unless they do a fair bit of grinding along the way. Therefore, unlocking the full roster is nearly impossible for casual players, which can lead to them not understanding the kits of these new characters and becoming intimidated by them when facing them in matches.
The Battle Pass Provides Rewards Players Don't Particularly Want
While players in Overwatch could regularly open up loot boxes and get cosmetics without spending a cent, the sequel has made it so that the Battle Pass is relatively pointless for free-to-play players. Unlike Battle Passes in other free-to-play games like Genshin Impact and Valorant where there are both free-to-play and paid versions of the Pass, there is only one Battle Pass in Overwatch 2. As a result, free-to-play players in Overwatch will go through tiers without getting anything as free-to-play rewards only occur every three to six tiers. This makes the Battle Pass monotonous to grind through for dedicated players and nearly pointless for casual players.
In Overwatch, the credits that players could stack up for free allowed them to purchase cosmetics for their favorite heroes if they didn't get them in the loot boxes. However, there is only one reward per tier in the Battle Pass for the Platinum version and one reward every few tiers in the free version, so players are forced to collect cosmetics that they likely don't want or will even use depending on the character that it's usable for.
While many shooters have gone the free-with-paywalled content route, Overwatch 2 is a game that should just be a one-time payment like its predecessor. The loot boxes in Overwatch were something of a reward to players -- not entirely necessary but fun to use, completely cosmetic with no in-game benefit, and most importantly, accessible for the most casual of players. In comparison, Overwatch 2's Battle Pass is far too grind-heavy and paywalled, and it actually does the opposite of its purpose by demotivating players to play because of the high tiers that they must reach to unlock key content. With player complaints stacking up and little changes being made to this Battle Pass system, it's perhaps easy to see why players have begun migrating from the game and looking for alternatives.