Overwatch 2 is on the verge of releasing the biggest new way to play since Overwatch was first announced in 2014. Stadium is the new best-of-7 mode where you’ll upgrade your Hero over multiple rounds with more powerful abilities to transform what it means to play Overwatch.
On a team of five, you’ll earn Stadium Cash each round based on how well you do through eliminations, healing, damage mitigation, and more, using that Cash to buy Items between rounds that will improve things like survivability or damage done. You’ll also be able to select all-new abilities, like Moira having three-orbs or Reinhardt converting his shield into a healing barrier. It’ll take strategy and adaptation to excel when Stadium launches on April 22.
To talk about how Stadium’s unique new abilities and Hero builds came together, we talked with Senior Game Designer, Dylan Snyder!
How did your team approach building Stadium compared to the core version of Overwatch 2?
Snyder: Stadium is the Overwatch team trying to push player fantasy, play expression, and strategic gameplay to their limits within the core Overwatch that you know and love. We have long wanted to have a test ground for some bigger-than-reality ideas for these heroes. But the core gameplay of Overwatch 2 really focuses on competitive integrity, so we approach Stadium as kind of a place to go nuts to let loose a little bit and that’s Stadium.
What are the different types of upgrades players can make to their Heroes?
Snyder: A huge component of Stadium is the Armory; it’s where you start every match, and it’s where you return when in your spawn room between rounds. We wanted an easy to read yet fun way to spend Stadium Cash on your Heroes. In the Armory, you can buy Items that offer a range from simple Stat boosts to your damage or healing output, to ones that punch up specific abilities. Then there are Powers that are unlocked before rounds 1, 3, 5, and 7, and they are incredibly cool ways to play with really strong new abilities. You want to shoot Ana’s Nano Boost ultimate at your teammates through walls? Because with the right Items and Powers, you can shoot Ana’s Nano Boost ultimate at your teammates through walls.
What are some of the popular Builds and abilities on the dev team?
Snyder: There are so many. One of the really fun things we’ve seen in playtests has been the huge number of ways people find to play their favorite Heroes. A few people on the team have latched onto a really fun Double Helix build for Soldier: 76, which can be devastating against opponents that haven’t focused much on upgrading their survivability. But one of my personal favorite builds is focused on Ana’s Nano Boost; you can boost your entire team through walls. This has proven clutch for me personally in matches where I am killed while in overtime but still able to support my team before getting fully back to the fight.
Are there any builds or abilities that surprised you?
Snyder: A build that I’ve come to love that I didn’t ever expect to is for Junker Queen. I am not a Junker Queen main and have probably played her the least of any Hero live, but for whatever reason, she is my favorite Tank to play in Stadium. Specifically, because I can swing the axe so much more often, and I can turn it into a leaping strike. Nothing feels better than surprising a Juno or Mercy mid-air by hopping up to meet them with a Carnage swing; it never gets old. And you can spec into everything causing wounds, keeping you alive! It’s wonderful. It’s like the version of Junker Queen that was made for me, who is terrible at staying alive in fights. And that’s all I ever wanted, to not die in embarrassing fashion in front of lots of people, but I didn’t know until Stadium.
What are some starting tips for players?
Snyder: Use the suggested Example builds! And have fun testing things out in the Practice Range. Knowing what your Hero can do will make countering the other team, and building synergy with your teammates, that much easier.
Are there any abilities or Items that didn’t make into Stadium that you hope to add in the future?
Snyder: Nothing I can go into detail just yet! In the course of developing Stadium, we have quite a backlog of really exciting and promising ideas that we just weren’t able to implement ahead of Season 16. We’re pretty focused on developing a strong, solid foundation to set ourselves up for future Seasons with more Heroes, modes, maps, and abilities, and we feel that we’re in a really good place. And so some conversations are happening about some of those earlier ideas that didn’t quite make it. That can add even more variety to the round to round experience that players have in Stadium.
Stadium launches when Season 16 goes live, on April 22! With initial Heroes, more will be added every Season so stay tuned for more updates and details! Thank you.
