Overwatch 2 Producer reveals how player count compares to OW1

Overwatch 2’s Executive Producer Jared Neuss has revealed how the sequel’s active player count compares to the first game and shared some interesting details.

As far as sequels go, the free-to-play Overwatch 2 has had a rocky start with the devs canceling the long-awaited PvE hero missions and instead moving forward with advancements to PvP.

Despite the initial backlash, the game has improved since launch with more upgrades to ranked, the Battle Pass, and more features in the works.

So, just how does Overwatch 2 compare to the first game when it comes to active users? Well, according to Jared Neuss, OW2 is doing “really well.”

Overwatch 2 Producer spills details on OW2 metrics

Speaking with GameSpot, Jared Neuss explained that a ton of new players came in through Steam, even though at one point Overwatch 2 was the worst-reviewed game in the history of the platform.

“Not only are people jumping in for the first time on Steam, but people are coming back and making Steam their primary platform,” he said.

When asked about how Overwatch 2 is doing compared to OW1 in terms of active users, Neuss revealed that there’s a healthy mix of both new and returning players.

“The gist is that the game is doing really well. The audience has grown significantly. And in particular, the cool thing there–and I think we’ve talked about this a bit in the past–is that we have a really healthy mix of people who’ve been playing Overwatch for a long time and brand-new players, which was the goal of going free-to-play and expanding it on to multiple different platforms,” Neuss stated.

Furthermore, he added that the team is “really happy” with where they’re at when it comes to game population and engagement, but reiterated that continuing to grow is the goal.

Sadly, Neuss didn’t share any exact figures, but it’s likely that Overwatch 2’s move to the free-to-play model along with its release on Steam helped the sequel out in areas that weren’t the case for OW1.

For more Overwatch 2 news and updates, keep it locked to Dexerto.