Overwatch 2 Season 12 Change Has Drastically Reduced One-Sided Matches

Overwatch 2 Season 12 Change Has Drastically Reduced One-Sided Matches

Key Takeaways

  • Wave Respawn in Overwatch 2 Season 12 reduced one-sided matches up to 8% in Quick Play.
  • Competitive Play saw 5% fewer imbalanced matches due to Wave Respawn, surpassing ranked reset impact.
  • Players appreciate Wave Respawn for promoting teamwork, preventing one-sided matches in Overwatch 2.

As a dedicated Overwatch 2 player with countless hours under my belt and a deep appreciation for balanced, engaging matches, I can confidently say that the recent introduction of Wave Respawn in Season 12 has been a game-changer. The reduction of one-sided matches by up to 8% is not just a statistic, but a tangible improvement that enhances the overall gaming experience.


In Season 12 of Overwatch 2, it’s reported that the introduction of the Wave Respawn mechanic has reduced the percentage of lopsided matches by up to 8%, with the exact impact varying based on rank and game mode. This mechanism ensures that players respawn simultaneously following a lost fight, thus decreasing the number of overwhelming victories, or “stomps,” compared to earlier versions of the game.

Season 12 of Overwatch 2 kicked off on August 20, introducing a fresh support character, game mode, and a reset for Competitive Play’s rankings. But what truly stands out as a significant modification for regular Overwatch 2 battles is the enhancement of Wave Respawn, an advanced version of Group Respawn introduced in Season 7. This innovative feature allows players to revive each other when they die within six seconds of one another, bringing back multiple heroes together instead of individually.

With just over a week of data to examine, Overwatch 2 has revealed how much Wave Respawn is improving the health of the game. In a thread on Twitter, Overwatch 2 systems designer Gavin Winter explained that Quick Play has had up to an 8% decrease in one-sided matches after the implementation of Wave Respawn, with fewer at higher skill levels. This is on top of the drastic reduction already seen by the Group Respawn feature, which has been in Quick Play for several Overwatch 2 seasons now.

Overwatch 2 Wave Respawn’s Positive Impact

In competitive play for Overwatch 2, there was an anticipation that a higher number of unbalanced games would occur due to the ranked reset, as players across various skill levels were being matched against each other while their rankings were recalibrated. However, it’s been found out this season has seen approximately 5% fewer lopsided matches compared to Season 11, suggesting that Wave Respawn may have had a greater influence on the fairness of Overwatch 2 games than the Season 12 ranked reset. As players reach their appropriate skill levels, it’s likely this reduction will become even more noticeable.

As an Overwatch 2 gamer, I’m thrilled about this latest update! Nothing ruins a match quite like one-sided battles where only one team is having fun. That’s why preventing these lopsided matches is crucial for any PvP game. The new Wave Respawn feature seems to be doing just that, keeping my teammates from wandering off and turning a small defeat into a rout. It’s an evolution of the Group Respawn, taking it to the next level while broadening its application across multiple game modes. So far, it looks like it’s building upon the solid foundations laid by its predecessor and setting new trends.

The Wave Respawn feature, although recently introduced, appears to be benefiting Overwatch 2 overall based on initial data, and this advantage is likely to grow with time. Alongside other forthcoming innovations such as the possible transition to 6v6 in Overwatch 2, it’s evident that Blizzard is committed to enhancing the game over the long term by continually experimenting.

Read More

2024-08-30 02:35