OverwatchClassic has debuted as a three-week-long Arcade mode in Season 13 ofOverwatch 2. This mode brings players back to Patch 1.0 of the hero-shooter, allowing any team composition as long as each team totals six players. SinceOverwatchoriginally launched in May 2016, and Blizzard added a single hero limit to Competitive Play soon after, it’s confirmed that futureOverwatchClassic events, including this version from November 15-December 2, will also include a limit to match the original game’s experience.
With players soon able to journey through time and experience different metas and patches from the original game, it’s an exciting opportunity to relive the history of this popular IP. However, althoughOverwatchClassic is being promoted as a return to the early days, several notable differences exist betweenOverwatch 2’s version of Patch 1.0 and the original. As such, while the game mode does its best to capture the essence of the original, it isn’t exactlyOverwatchClassic at its core.
Future Overwatch Classic Events Could Appeal More to Nostalgia
Overwatch Prime Featured Various Key Differences from Overwatch Classic
OverwatchClassic may be a double-edged sword, despite capturing significant attention by taking players back to a version of the game from over eight and a half years ago. Still, Team 4 calling the Arcade modePatch 1.0is a bit misleading, given the significant differences between the versions. First, the originalOverwatchfeatured a more compact, minimalistic UI with transparency and layered visuals. Despite this simplicity, it maintained a vibrant personality, especially with decorative level portraits that appeared over a character’s selected hero in-game. While a version of these portraits still exists on a player’s profile page inOverwatch 2, they are no longer prominently displayed during gameplay.
Similarly,OverwatchClassic lacks the performance medals that were an integral part of the original game. InOverwatch 1, players earned medals in three tiers: Gold, Silver, and Bronze, across five categories:
InOverwatchClassic, players may notice they can check statistics from both teams. This is a significant change fromOverwatch 2, which introduced the current scoreboard system. Previously, players could only see their statistics, and it wasn’t uncommon for players to mention having “gold healing” or “gold eliminations,” even if those claims weren’t always accurate. This system made it harder for players to get an overall sense of the match performance beyond their contributions. Additionally,Overwatch’s original post-match approach, which included a voting card screen, sometimes revealed discrepancies, exposing a player’s misstatements about their stats.
Trophies and achievements also cannot be unlocked in Overwatch Classic, despite obviously being earnable in the original game.
Although the"On Fire" mechanic has made a return inOverwatch 2and is visible inOverwatchClassic, the mode currently lacks a Competitive option. This is understandable, as it is a limited-time mode, but ifOverwatchClassic aimed to replicate Patch 1.0 more closely, incorporating a competitive ranking system and rewards would have been a more accurate reflection. Offering futureOverwatchClassics as a season-long event with its own mini-ranked leaderboard and Skill Rating (SR) could significantly enhance the mode’s appeal. However, this would likely lead to longer queue times for other modes, which is a potential downside to consider.
Furthermore,Cassidy is not referred to as “Jesse McCree"inOverwatchClassic, which is a reasonable choice, given that the name change occurred following the controversy surrounding former Blizzard employee Jesse McCree. The decision was part of Blizzard’s response to the allegations and aimed to distance the character from the real-world figure involved in the scandal. In the same vein, the 21 original heroes inOverwatchClassic are all using their default skins fromOverwatchprime, which cannot be modified. Fortunately, it’s possible that whenOverwatchClassic returns in future seasons, it may incorporate some of these quality-of-life adjustments.
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.
