Overwatch 2 doubles player count record of original game in just one month

Overwatch 2 has been a raging success in Blizzard’s eyes, with player numbers far exceeding records set by the original game in the first month. More than 35 million players tried the free-to-play shooter, and they expect the community to grow.

The fever surrounding Overwatch 2’s launch is still continuing as Activision Blizzard opens up on the game’s early success numbers-wise.

The game is still breaking records set by its paid predecessor, with the company noting 35 million players jumped in during the first month, with average daily numbers more than double that of the first release.

“Over 35 million people played the game in its first month, including many who were new to Overwatch,” the report states. 

“The expanded community is engaging deeply, with average daily player numbers for the first month of Overwatch 2 more than double that of its acclaimed predecessor.”

Making Overwatch 2 free-to-play has drawn a number of players who weren’t attracted to the price tag on the base release, and didn’t want to jump on board in the later years when the F2P offering was nearing its arrival.

On top of that, with an established base and plenty of old fans returning to give Overwatch 2 a whirl, a spike was always expected. Maintaining that level of interest will be the challenge.

Blizzard are optimistic about Overwatch 2’s future though. Despite all the hindrances at launch with the game’s bugs and a rocky transition between titles, the company expects it “to be a meaningful contributor to Blizzard’s business in the fourth quarter” with high player investment.

The developer is also continuing to tout its long-term content plan, including seasonal hero releases, the PvE drop, and more.

“Blizzard is looking forward to delivering an ambitious state of regular seasonal updates for Overwatch 2 that introduce new characters, maps, and modes, including the game’s much-anticipated PvE mode planned for 2023.”