Overwatch 2 fans, brace yourselves: Blizzard is turning back the clock and bringing us Overwatch: Classic, a time-limited game mode that revives the original gameplay, heroes, and mechanics from the game’s 2016 launch. For players who want to experience Overwatch in its foundational state, this mode promises a thrilling return to the basics. Here’s everything you need to know about this nostalgic journey and what it means for today’s Overwatch 2 community.
What is Overwatch: Classic?
Available for a limited three-week period, Overwatch: Classic is a game mode designed to transport players back to the original days of Overwatch, giving players access only to the original 21 heroes and their classic abilities. If you’ve missed those pre-Overwatch 2 days — or if you’ve never experienced them before — this mode is your chance to dive into Overwatch as it once was. Blizzard has announced some interesting changes to the mechanics to recapture the excitement and fast pace that fans adored in the game’s early years.
Key Changes in Classic Mode
- Faster Ultimate charging across all heroes, creating more intense battles and frequent power plays.
- Original health pools, damage outputs, and abilities are restored to each hero.
- For heroes whose Ultimates can be interrupted, a percentage of Ultimate charge will now return to them.
Together, these adjustments are designed to bring back the dynamic feel of Overwatch’s launch while balancing hero mechanics with Blizzard’s newer features.
Hero Changes: What’s New in Overwatch: Classic?
With Overwatch 2’s updates, many original heroes have undergone significant reworks. Overwatch: Classic brings back their launch-era abilities, giving players a fresh look at beloved heroes in their original forms.
Offense Heroes
- Cassidy: Equipped with his original Flashbang, Cassidy’s Flashbang now stuns enemies, immobilizing them briefly. Deadeye has also been enhanced with a cancel option that saves half the Ultimate charge, allowing Cassidy to be more versatile in chaotic battles.
- Genji: Genji’s mobility shines in Classic mode with his Double Jump reset after wall-climbing. His Dragonblade also packs a punch with an extended duration, giving Genji mains a longer window to sweep through enemies.
- Pharah: Pharah is more lethal in the air, with rockets that pack higher splash damage, keeping enemies wary of airborne attacks. Her Concussive Blast also offers more opportunities to knock foes off ledges.
- Reaper: Reaper’s classic passive, The Reaping, returns, allowing him to heal by collecting Soul Orbs dropped by defeated enemies. However, he cannot cancel Wraith Form early, making his timing crucial.
- Soldier: 76: Soldiers can expect a smoother firing experience as his Pulse Rifle has no recoil but will see increased bullet spread over time. This encourages strategic firing over prolonged battles.
- Tracer: Tracer remains close to her original form, with Pulse Bomb dealing serious damage that can quickly eliminate heroes caught in its blast.
Defense Heroes
- Bastion: Bastion returns to his original, formidable Sentry Form, which makes him immobile but devastating in chokepoints. With Self-Repair available, Bastion can sustain himself longer, but be wary — his stationary form remains vulnerable to flanking.
- Hanzo: Known for his iconic Scatter Arrow, Hanzo regains this ability, making him a fearsome choice in tight corridors. Combined with Sonic Arrow, Hanzo’s setup for flanking foes becomes even more effective.
- Junkrat: Junkrat’s Frag Launcher has self-damage, adding risk to his explosive attacks. Concussion Mine is limited to a single charge, adding a bit of strategy to his play style.
- Mei: Mei’s primary fire will once again freeze enemies in place, allowing her to control the battlefield. Ice Wall is also beefed up, with each pillar boasting 500 health, creating a stronger blockade.
- Torbjörn: Torbjörn’s kit brings back Armor Packs, which he can create using Scrap collected on the battlefield. His Molten Core Ultimate now grants him additional armor and boosts his turret to Level 3, giving Torbjörn players a powerful tool for area control.
- Widowmaker: With faster-charging shots, Widowmaker is deadlier at long range but has a longer cooldown on Grappling Hook, making each escape attempt critical.
Tank Heroes
- D.Va: D.Va’s kit is without Micro Missiles, making her playstyle a bit simpler. Defense Matrix works differently, continuously channeling for several seconds with a cooldown, requiring careful management in extended battles.
- Reinhardt: With a larger Barrier Health and increased range on Earthshatter, Reinhardt is more durable and threatening. His Fire Strike, however, has only one charge.
- Roadhog: Roadhog’s Chain Hook can pull in targets more effectively, allowing him to secure easy finishes with a quick Scrap Gun shot and melee attack.
- Winston: Winston loses his Tesla Cannon’s long-range attack, making him more reliant on close combat and well-placed Barrier Projectors. His barrier only begins cooldown once it’s destroyed, adding a layer of timing.
- Zarya: Zarya’s Particle and Projected Barriers have separate cooldowns again, so careful usage is required to optimize her survivability and damage-boosting potential.
Support Heroes
- Lucio: Lucio’s Crossfade returns to a wider radius of 30 meters, though his healing output is lower. This makes Lucio more effective at team movement but slightly weaker in healing during tight engagements.
- Mercy: Mercy’s original Resurrect Ultimate is back, letting her revive multiple teammates at once, potentially shifting the tide of battle if timed well.
- Symmetra: A support hero once more, Symmetra’s Photon Shield grants allies additional Shield Health, and her Teleporter connects to the spawn room, adding a strategic dimension to movement across the map.
- Zenyatta: Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord increases damage taken by the target by 50%, making him a powerful asset for taking down key enemies.
Classic Maps Return
To complete the nostalgic experience, Blizzard has added the original Overwatch maps in the Classic mode, allowing players to relive the thrill of classic battles in familiar settings.
- Assault Maps: Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, Volskaya Industries
- Control Maps: Ilios, Lijang Tower, Nepal
- Escort Maps: Dorado, Route 66, Watchpoint: Gibraltar
- Hybrid Maps: Hollywood, King’s Row, Numbani
These maps will bring back memories for long-time fans while offering new players a taste of Overwatch’s original strategies and objectives.
What Does This Mean for Overwatch Players?
Overwatch: Classic is more than just a nostalgia trip — it’s a unique experience that allows the Overwatch community to appreciate the game’s evolution. Veteran players can revisit the heroes and maps that defined their early Overwatch days, while new players can see how Blizzard’s hero shooter started, building a new appreciation for how far the game has come.
While this mode is temporary, its success could inspire Blizzard to revisit other iconic elements of Overwatch or potentially expand upon this format in the future. The limited-time availability creates excitement and encourages players to dive in while it lasts, and there’s a possibility that this could evolve based on feedback.
Is Overwatch: Classic Worth Playing?
Absolutely. Overwatch: Classic offers a fun, fast-paced alternative to the more nuanced Overwatch 2 gameplay, providing a fresh way to enjoy the game’s iconic heroes and maps. Whether you’re reliving memories or discovering the original for the first time, it’s a unique opportunity to experience Overwatch in its purest form.
So grab your friends, pick your favorite classic hero, and dive into Overwatch: Classic while it’s here. It’s not only a chance to celebrate Overwatch’s roots but also to connect with the community in a fun, familiar way.
