Overwatch 2 devs still open to Map Pick feature eight years after launch

Overwatch 2 Game Director Aaron Keller has revealed that a Map Pick system could still find its way into the game but that the devs do have reservations about its existence.

Overwatch 2, season 11 is right around the corner. The devs revealed that the game will undergo major changes including a brand new hero, map alternations, and more game modes.

However, one change that is yet to be made is the idea of introducing a Map Pick system. In other popular multiplayer games, a Map Pick system is a useful way to allow players to vote on which environment they want to dive into most.

Oftentimes, games will give players three options to choose from, the Map that receives the most votes the one that will be chosen for the next game. This feature, while common for other franchises, has not been a staple of the Overwatch experience. However, that’s not to say it isn’t something that could be added in at some point in the future.

Aaron Keller on a Map Pick system in #Overwatch2 🗺️

"I think if we were to do it, at least at the start, it would only be a Quick Play feature." He explained that once you found a match, you would "vote on one of these three maps," but there are no plans for now. pic.twitter.com/mThXbZL4Tm

— Overwatch Cavalry (@OWCavalry) March 22, 2024

During a recent livestream, Aaron Keller, the current Game Director for Overwatch 2, sat down to discuss many of the major concerns and topics surrounding the game at this point in time. The Map Pick system, is something that Keller admitted has been talked about throughout the OW2 dev team.

While Keller initially praised the system, he later revealed his reservations about introducing it to Overwatch 2.

It is great because it does allow players to have more control over their experience. We are worried that if they try to vote a map out and it still gets selected and it’s a map they hate, that might be the moment where they just say, “I’m out of here” and leave.”

However, Keller did add that a Map Pick system would offer up great insight and analytics into which maps are preferred and disliked by the OW2 community. Therefore teasing that a system of this nature could be introduced to Quick Play at some point down the line. 

“It will give us a lot of data on the most popular and least popular map which would be really great to have. And I think if we were to do it, at least at the start, it would only be a Quick Play feature. There are some worries about introducing it into comp.”

Be sure to check out Dexerto’s full Overwatch 2 coverage for all the latest news and breakdowns ahead of Season 11.