I Hate This Overwatch 2 Feature, Yet I’m Still Glad It Was Added

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The latest update to Overwatch 2, with its 18th season, introduced Wuyang, a brand-new Support hero. But that’s not all! Players can also enjoy the return of Summer Games, a special event themed around NBA star Luka Doncic (who is also a top Overwatch 2 player), and a revamped hero progression system that consistently rewards you for playing. The update also includes a system to forgive players who leave matches unexpectedly, new perks, and changes to the hero Roadhog. However, it’s the new Stadium Drafts game mode that has quickly become the most popular addition.

As soon as Stadium’s Draft mode came out in *Overwatch 2*, a lot of us noticed a really frustrating issue: you couldn’t pick the same hero as the other team. It felt awful because it took away our ability to counter specific strategies, and they could just completely shut down a hero we wanted to play. Thankfully, there was a huge outcry from the community, and Blizzard listened, removing that restriction. Draft mode is still around, but honestly, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag. Some people are really enjoying it, but I personally find Stadium less fun now because of it.

As a player, I always hated when the enemy team mirrored our team composition. It was especially frustrating when they stacked certain heroes. Like, if my team had a Genji, and they countered with their own Genji, then had their Support play Moira and their Tank play Zarya, it basically shut down our ability to effectively counter *them* with heroes designed to beat those specific picks. It felt really limiting!

At first, I believed a draft system like the one in *Overwatch 2*’s Stadium mode would be helpful. As someone who often plays Tank heroes, I used to get frustrated when my hero, Reinhardt, was countered by the opposing team’s Tank. I thought knowing what the other team was choosing would level the playing field. However, after trying the system for weeks, I’ve realized it actually makes it *too* easy to counter other players, and it has other problems as well. I definitely preferred Stadium before the draft system was added. Despite this, I appreciate that Blizzard tried something new, as it suggests an interesting direction for the future of Stadium and *Overwatch 2* as a whole.

Why Overwatch 2’s Stadium Drafting is Problematic

There are a handful of reasons why this new Overwatch 2 feature hasn’t clicked for me, including:

  • The Draft process only serves to make Stadium matches even longer, as it adds minutes on to the front of the match. Considering how long queue times can be higher up the competitive ladder, the already slow build-up to actual gameplay only becomes more drawn out.
  • The lack of heroes to choose from means the feature was added before it should have been. Stadium still only offers a fraction of the Overwatch 2 roster, meaning players may only have access to one or two of the characters they’re familiar with. If they get dealt a bad hand and are last to pick, they could be left without the only heroes they know, ultimately making the traditional “first come, first serve” approach preferable.
  • Overwatch 2’s counter-picking epidemic has become much more severe since Stadium Drafts began. While some kind of middle ground option where players see the opposing side’s Tanks could have been a boon, seeing exactly what both sides have makes Counterwatch the norm. This almost defeats the point of Stadium, as it was meant to see players thrive in any situation by being creative with their builds. Instead, they’re potentially stuck facing several counters if they’re forced to pick first.
  • Overwatch 2’s toxicity problem is on full display in Stadium now, as some groups will deliberately trade their pick slots with each other to “steal” mains from someone who picked their preferred hero in the pre-draft phase. Unsavory players will also flame their teammates for not countering or for playing heroes they dislike.

I’ve witnessed players intentionally lose games because someone else grabbed their preferred hero through a trade during the draft phase – something that never happened with the old system. While the idea of secretly planning which heroes to pick is interesting, and could be good with a complete team of dedicated players, the current draft system isn’t working. It’s not just the limited number of heroes available, but also Blizzard seems to be relying too much on players being strategic and putting the team first. The biggest problem with *Overwatch 2* has always been its negative player community, and this draft system tends to highlight the worst behaviors, as players often misuse it.

Why I’m Glad Overwatch 2 Gambled on Stadium Drafts

Even though I have some problems with the Drafting feature in *Overwatch 2*, I’m happy Blizzard added it. I think it would work best if it was limited to professional matches and high-level lobbies, but it’s clear a lot of effort went into it, and it was a brave move. I appreciate Blizzard taking risks with *Overwatch*, even if those risks don’t always succeed. It’s better than the game becoming predictable, which could have happened if the team had simply continued to add new heroes, maps, and features without trying anything new. While this particular change might not be perfect for me or some other players, regularly adding big features like Drafts is good for a game like *Overwatch 2*, and the attempt deserves praise.

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2025-09-15 00:08