Game director Aaron Keller has detailed upcoming enhancements for Overwatch 2 Stadium Sees Improvements mode in response to player feedback on the innovative new feature.
Overwatch 2’s Stadium mode has revitalised the ageing hero shooter with multi-round gameplay, persistent upgrades, and a fresh perspective, offering a dynamic shift from the standard experience. Despite competition from Marvel Rivals, which thrives on frequent updates and transparent communication, Blizzard’s bold reimagining of OW2 has been a refreshing change. However, the mode isn’t flawless, and Keller acknowledges its shortcomings. In a recent blog post, he shared Blizzard’s plans to refine Stadium moving forward.
“I’m working on a detailed Director’s Take covering Stadium’s past, present, and future, including a roadmap,” Keller wrote. “But for now, I want to highlight this week’s updates and discussions to keep players informed.”
Blizzard has identified four key issues with Stadium: lack of crossplay, high leaver rates, performance on older hardware, and frustrating hero builds. Keller and his team are tackling these to elevate the mode’s potential.
On crossplay, Keller is optimistic about its inclusion in Season 17, either through an unranked Stadium mode or by enabling it in the current ranked version. The decision hinges on the mode’s popularity to ensure robust queue times and matchmaking.
Regarding leaver rates, Stadium’s 7% rate mirrors Ranked mode, and a recent bug fix ensures quitter penalties are applied consistently. Blizzard is also investigating why players perceive higher abandonment in Stadium, despite data suggesting otherwise.
Performance-wise, Stadium’s technical demands strain older systems due to its array of abilities and powers. To address erratic framerates, Blizzard capped older hardware at 30fps, but this has led to a consistently worse experience for some. The team is developing tech to dynamically adjust this cap, with testing planned in the coming weeks.
Overwatch 2 Stadium Updates
Blizzard is also tweaking hero builds, nerfing frustrating items, and buffing underused ones, with a new patch targeting Cassidy, D.Va, and Zarya. The team is analyzing hero bans, perks, and feedback on the new hero Freja, with more details to follow.
With Marvel Rivals dominating and Season 16 introducing hero bans (a feature Rivals had at launch), Stadium’s overhaul is a pivotal moment for Overwatch 2. As 2025 looms large, Blizzard aims to sustain this momentum.
For more, check our Overwatch 2 tier list and Stadium support builds to dominate the mode. Stay updated via Google News for daily PC gaming insights, or join our Discord community to discuss this story with the team and fellow fans.