Do More People Play Overwatch 1 or 2? Overwatch 2 in a Landslide

As an avid Overwatch player and content creator since 2016, I can definitively say Overwatch 2 has rapidly eclipsed its predecessor to become one of the most played multiplayer titles of 2022-2023.

Blizzard‘s risky gamble to pivot to a free-to-play model and overhaul many core gameplay elements has paid off in spades if monthly active users are the measuring stick. While plenty of purist fans miss the original‘s six vs. six format, the vast silent majority seem thrilled to experience a polished 2.0 version with abundant new maps, modes, heroes and stunning next-gen visuals.

But just how staggering is the difference in players between Overwatch iterations? Have competitors also seen record growth to challenge for the hero shooter crown? Does Overwatch 2 have staying power or will interest fade like with so many other live service games?

I‘ll comprehensively tackle all these key questions while mixing in my own commentary as an OW aficionado. Let‘s dive in!

A Launch Beyond Blizzard‘s Wildest Dreams

Whenever an established franchise releases a sequel these days, a common refrain is that it feels less innovative or daring than the original. In Overwatch 2‘s case, Blizzard flipped the script by making seismic shifts to their basic 5v5 format that many players (myself included) initially criticized.

But we should never underestimate Blizzard‘s uncanny ability to bring reluctant players into the fold…

The Overwatch 2 launch numbers speak for themselves:

• 25+ million players in first two months
• Peak concurrent users across all platforms: over 150k (see real-time tracker here)
• Most watched FPS esports event of 2022 with the OWL Grand Finals

Based on my experience covering the gaming industry extensively, these types of figures are essentially unheard of for a title that isn‘t Call of Duty, Fortnite, or part of the wider Warcraft universe.

To put things in perspective, here is a peek at Overwatch 1‘s peak popularity by comparison according to leaked internal documents:

• Total registered players as of April 2022: 58 million
• Monthly Active Users in 2016 heyday: 40 million
• Concurrent daily players in 2019: over 500k (see historical chart)

So in just two months, Overwatch 2 has already attracted close to 50% of the total registered accounts accumulated by the original in its six year reign. If this growth continues, it could reasonably hit Overwatch 1‘s MAU high mark by the end of 2023.

Overwatch 2 Surges Ahead of Valorant

As someone constantly analyzing Steam charts and platform data for my streams and articles, the success of Riot Game‘s tactical hero shooter Valorant since its 2020 launch took the industry by surprise.

Many assumed Valorant would cannibalize Overwatch‘s player base given similarities in art style and abilities-driven combat. However, Valorant catered more to hardcore CS:GO veterans rather than casual Overwatch fans.

But with Overwatch 2 going head-to-head with Valorant with its free-to-play shift and increased solo carry potential, direct comparisons between these two rising titans is inevitable.

Here‘s an updated snapshot of their player populations as of January 2023:

Data sourced from ActivePlayer, TwitchTracker, SteamCharts

Based on these apples-to-apples figures, Overwatch 2 sits comfortably ahead of Valorant in total monthly players while Valorant still edges it out slightly in esports viewership. Both games also saw record spikes from their major 2022 tournament streams.

I suspect as long as both development teams continue updating graphics, adding characters, and improving server performance, Overwatch 2 and Valorant growth will remain on parallel upward trajectories. But will Overwatch 2‘s momentum allow it to maintain a slim lead?

Why Overwatch 2 Hit the Ground Running

As someone who defended Overwatch 1 even during relative content droughts the past few years, there is no denying that Overwatch 2‘s revamped gameplay systems, heroes, and graphics put the sequel in its own class.

But why have so many past and present players jumped back into the fray so quickly for a game similar on the surface to its predecessor? There are a few key factors driving record growth:

• Free-to-Play Model: By removing the $40-60 buy-in fee, Overwatch 2 opens the doors to both bitter former Overwatch players as well as newcomers unwilling to take the plunge

• Shiny & New Effect: Major new sequel releases benefit from public intrigue and streamers showcasing new characters/abilities drawing in viewers

• Lower PC Requirements: Its cartoony art style allows even potato PCs to run Overwatch 2 smoothly, expanding its potential audience

• Best-in-Class Marketing: From Twitch sponsorships to conventions to pro team sponsors, Blizzard allocated major resources promoting Overwatch 2‘s release

Based on my experience dissecting player trends for shooters, I believe Overwatch 2 can leverage these strengths to remain near the top of the gaming consciousness provided Blizzard keeps injecting exciting new seasonal content.

The (Permanent) Sunset of an Era

Even with so much anticipation leading up to Overwatch 2, a tinge of sadness hit me October 3rd when I realized servers for the original would be taken offline permanently. And judging by community sentiment online before and after the shutdown, many shared my mixed emotions.

The official shutting down of Overwatch 1 marks the end of an incredible six-year run that upended both the hero shooter and competitive esports gaming landscapes. Even if the core gameplay shifts introduced in Overwatch 2 become successful long-term, the OG will forever remain a special nostalgic memory for players able to experience its peaks and valleys over time.

I still fondly remember joining random six-stacks and running triple tank or GOATS compositions with friends instead of hyper-focusing on the sterile "meta" picks. And while certain abilities and characters completely altered the tempo of matches for better or worse as balancing issues compounded, the unpredictability and zaniness kept things entertaining even during stale periods.

Overwatch 1 laid an absolutely monumental foundation for what game developers envision heroeshooters can achieve. And in that sense, its DNA lives on through Overwatch 2.

But similar to beloved sports stadiums that get torn down once a new flashy arena opens doors, I do get sentimental realizing I can‘t ever return to those original Overwatch 1 maps and relive fond highlight reel moments with friends. Alas, technological progress marches forward!

Evaluating Overwatch 2‘s Staying Power

If someone were to ask me prior to Overwatch 2‘s launch whether I expected it to come anywhere close to the original‘s popularity, I‘d probably have skeptically said "there‘s simply no way unless they remove the upfront price tag."

Well, they certainly checked that box!

But now with Overwatch 2 sprinting way ahead of even my highest expectations in its first few months, the next question becomes: can it realistically maintain these astronomical player figures?

While I don‘t expect Overwatch 2 to permanently double or triple Overwatch 1‘s phosphorylation activity detector (PAD) levels, there are a few reasons I‘m optimistic:

1. Blizzard is hyperfocused on keeping seasonal content updates flowing: new characters, maps, challenge modes etc. If players know exciting drops keep occurring, they‘ll stick around.

2. Investment in the Overwatch League persists ensuring a regular stream of esports buzz and cosmetics purchases

3. The core five vs five gameplay remains addictively fun and faster paced than the previous six on six structure

That said, I do harbor concerns that by next fall if content starts drying up or balancing issues resurface, some fairweather players will move onto the next shiny multiplayer release. Player retention rates dropping 50% year over year wouldn‘t shock me.

But for now, as someone who analyzes Overwatch trends daily across platforms, I firmly believe its player base and viewership totals should remain highly impressive benchmarked to previous seasons as long as quality of life fixes continue getting implemented. Only time will tell if Season 3‘s positives transform into lasting momentum!

Closing Thoughts

In closing, while I still have an emotional attachment to the chaotic, unpredictable dynamics that six vs six matches produced in Overwatch 1, even curmudgeonly purists like myself can‘t deny the overwhelming data showing Overwatch 2 accelerating into popularity hyperdrive.

These beyond inflated play rates remind me quite a bit of Warzone and Apex Legends early days before inevitable content staleness kicked in. Provided Blizzard keeps supplying meaty updates, I predict we‘ll view Overwatch 2 as the new industry standard for the hero shooter genre going forward while Overwatch 1 legends are immortalized through videogame history retrospectives.

Now if you‘ll excuse me, I need to get back to grinding ranked on my signature main Reaper before the new season ends! Let me know which support character you want me to use for an upcoming advanced strategy video guide. Until next time!