Overwatch 2’s new Perks system will change matches forever – and that’s a good thing

Overwatch 2 is getting a brand-new Perks system in Season 15 and it’s being sold as the biggest gameplay update since 2016. After getting to see it in action first-hand, it’s just as game-changing as it sounds and it’s exactly what OW needs. 

For the longest time, the core Overwatch experience has been considered sacred. Sure, there have been some major changes since it debuted nearly a decade ago, such as the introduction of role locks and the switch to 5v5, but the moment-to-moment action has been tweaked and balanced, rather than significantly overhauled. 

The result is a game that’s remarkably polished and finely tuned after plenty of significant improvements, but it’s largely the same experience that greeted players all those years ago. 

Season 15’s introduction of a Perks system is the first time that Blizzard have dared to tread on that holiest of grounds. I got the opportunity to try it out for a few (ill-fated) matches as part of the Spotlight event, and it’s set to permanently change OW for the better. 

What are Perks?

Perks function similarly to Ultimates in the sense that they’re earned during a match and you get them faster based on how well you’re performing. The difference is that once you’ve unlocked them, they stay in play for the remainder of the game and you’re given two choices each time. 

Blizzard

You start at level one, and once you click enough heads or dish out enough heals to reach level 2, you’re offered two character-specific Minor Perks. These tend to be passive buffs that improve existing abilities. 

Then, in the latter half of a match, you’re presented with two Major Perks. These have more groundbreaking effects, such as completely reworking an ability or, in many cases, adding totally new ones.

Overwatch will never be the same

What this does is give you tough, meaningful decisions to make in the heat of battle, giving you the option to counter a specific enemy that’s giving your team hassle or hone in on a playstyle that suits you. 

For example, in one of my matches, I played as Orisa, a Tank who operates best on the frontline, pushing objectives and drawing focus away from the rest of the team. Her Perks essentially make you choose between being a defensive sponge or a risk-taking damage-dealer. 

Given that our team was on the receiving end of a pummeling, I chose the first option. The Minor Perk gave 100 extra health whenever I popped Fortify, while the Major swapped the Javelin Spin for a protective barrier. This allowed me to hunker down and defend the objective with extra survivability, which took much of the heat away from my allies. 

Not only did it give me a lifeline to help stop the massacre I was facing, but it also encouraged me to change my entire playstyle on a dime. But if I’d wanted to be more aggressive, I could have reduced the overheat of her primary weapon and unlocked a charged-up Energy Javelin to focus on damage.

After hours and hours of playing that character in a very specific way, Perks brought a fresh perspective and opened up brand-new ways for me to add value to my team. 

The future looks bright

This was true for every single character I experimented with, whether it was Bastion’s new self-heal or Torbjorn’s level 3 turret. Each set of Perks leans into the character’s existing abilities but encourages you to pick a playstyle and fully embrace it. 

What’s most exciting is the way it completely shakes up the flow of matches. Whereas before there was little you could do to turn the tide of a match other than simply upping your game or swapping heroes, now, you always have an ace up your sleeve. 

Particularly towards the end of a game, when everyone has triggered their Major Perks, it makes those last-minute scrambles to nudge a payload over the line even more heart-pounding. It’s like a Dragon Ball fight that starts out tame but ends with everyone going Super Saiyan. 

There’s no doubt that it will take some time for the community to adjust to such a huge change. After hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of Overwatch under your belt, suddenly having a totally new set of options to consider mid-match is a seismic shift. 

But after playing the same old matches for the better part of a decade, it’s a refreshing new wrinkle that looks set to breathe new life into the classic formula we all fell in love with. Other live service games have dared to reinvent themselves over the years and it’s a promising sign for the future of Overwatch that Blizzard are willing to do the same.