Category: Games

Perk up A Deep Dive into Overwatch 2’s New Perks System

Alec Dawson, Lead Gameplay Designer, Overwatch 2

Summary

Perks are exciting new abilities for Overwatch 2 heroes, offering wild gameplay twists and creative strategies.
Lead gameplay designer for Overwatch, Alec Dawson, explains how Perks work.
Overwatch 2 Season 15 launches February 18.

Hey everyone! Alec here, ready to spill the tea on one of the most exciting new mechanics coming your way in Overwatch 2—Perks! If you’ve been looking to switch things up with your favorite heroes and add even more strategy and adaptability to your matches, well sit tight, we’ve got something for you today! This is the story of how the Perks system came to life and why we think it’s going to completely change the way you play Overwatch 2.

The Spark That Started It All

The idea for Perks wasn’t just something we pulled out of thin air—it came from some important questions we kept asking ourselves in design meetings. Questions like, “How can we bring more dynamic gameplay to Overwatch?” and “How do we heighten the hero fantasy and give you the opportunity to lean into different playstyles?”

We wanted to find new ways to challenge and delight our players, and giving you more in-game choice seemed like the perfect solution. Enter Perks—a system that allows us to inject a layer of strategy into each match without completely reinventing the game you know and love.

The Evolution of Perks

Our idea of Perks has been kicking around since early last year, with the bulk of the project coming together in the last six months. Like any good project, Perks went through some stages of trial and error, and (spoiler alert) our first attempt showed promise but had numerous issues to work through. Initially, Perks were just a level-up system with pre-determined upgrades—you’d hit level three in a match and automatically get some minor power boost. Simple? Yes. Really changing your Overwatch gameplay? Not so much.

It became clear that while having something to work toward mid-match was exciting, we were missing the magic of choice. We wanted to amplify the notion that there was more than one way to switch things up for your hero from game to game.

Our next iteration introduced a hybrid system with automatic perks for your first two levels and one big choice for level three. This added a glimmer of excitement, but it still felt clunky. Making that one singular, late game-changing choice during the heat of battle sometimes caught players off guard, since they weren’t doing it earlier in the match. It wasn’t fully integrating into the flow of gameplay.

So after some serious playtesting and more “what if” conversations than I can count, we landed on the version of Perks you’ll see in-game. You now unlock a choice between two Minor Perks at level 2 and a choice between two Major Perks at level 3 —all tailored to your hero. It’s enough flexibility to feel fresh and strategic while keeping the game’s fast-paced tempo intact.

Major and Minor Perks

With this split of Minor and Major perks, we really wanted to give you an interesting decision at each level. This meant trying to split up which abilities your perks targeted and differentiating the type of power boost each would provide.

For Minor Perks, we wanted to treat these as small upgrades, such as Lucio’s Bass Blowout perk that increases the knockback of his Soundwave. Minor Perks come early in the match and elevate your abilities, but don’t completely change their behavior.

Major Perks are more about shifting your core gameplay loop, and even adding new abilities to heroes. Reaper’s Dire Triggers perk gives him a Secondary Fire that does decent mid-range damage, great for getting that last shot on an escaping foe. Hitting your Major Perk on a hero is a big moment in the match and can totally change how you approach an engagement.

Keeping Overwatch… Overwatch

One of our most important goals with Perks was ensuring they felt true to Overwatch. We’ve all enjoyed our wacky arcade April Fools’ moments, but the core gameplay of Overwatch is sacred territory. We didn’t want Perks to completely throw off the balance or make you feel like you were suddenly playing too far away from the heroes you already know and love.

Every decision—whether it was deciding how powerful perks should be, crafting trade-offs, or ensuring balance across heroes—was made to keep the core Overwatch DNA intact. We spent a lot of time debating scenarios where “less is more,” striking the delicate balance of giving players fun perks without making things chaotic or unfair.

Take Orisa, for example. One of her perks trades her Javelin Spin for a Protective Barrier. That’s a sizable change, but it allows Orisa to hold different positions, something that can be clutch on the right map. Since taking Protective Barrier is more of a “kiss/curse” decision, Orisa’s other perk Charged Javelin allows you to keep her typical playstyle intact (with a supercharged Javelin of course). When you choose a perk, your choice should reflect the situation at hand, our goal is to make these decisions meaningful without being overwhelming.

Building Player Choice into Gameplay

With the gameplay structure set, the next challenge was making perk selection easy. Overwatch is fast—blink, and you might miss your front-line Winston jumping right into the fight. Asking players to make meaningful mid-match decisions had to be intuitive, not stressful.

We designed two ways to pick Perks:

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Standard Selection: Hold down Alt (or up on the D-Pad for console), then use Left/Right click (or bumpers) to select.

Quick Selection (for the “don’t slow me down” squad): A one-button press to instantly pick your perks.

Muscle memory and familiarity will build over time, but these options ensure you won’t feel overwhelmed in those clutch, intense moments.

Developer Favorites

To get you started, here are some of our favorite Perks from playtesting:

Winston’s Chain Lightning lets him charge up Secondary Fire to zap multiple enemies near his target. It’s not just useful, it’s pure chaotic fun.

We brought back Hanzo’s Scatter Arrows, giving you clever shot opportunities. Watch out for some wild multi-kills—you’ll want to clip those plays for sure.

Baptiste’s Shoulder Turret? Yes, it’s real. When you pop Amplification Matrix, the turret comes out to add (extra) Automated Healing. It’s as cool as it sounds.

And my favorite: Ramattra’s Vengeful Vortex, enabling you to explode Ravenous Vortex in the air and send down those pesky flying enemies.

These are just a few examples of how Perks can take your hero and amplify the fantasy.

Now It’s Your Turn

Perks are more than just a mechanic—they’re a fresh way to flex your creativity, adapt your strategies, and rediscover the game you love. We can’t wait to see the builds, plays, and clips you all come up with. This is Overwatch stepping into a new chapter, but still staying true to its heart with teamwork, adaptability, and buckets of fun.

Hop into Overwatch 2, try out Perks, and tell us what you think. Who knows…the next big Perk idea could come from you. See you in game!

Season 15 of Overwatch 2 begins February 18. For more information about Overwatch 2, visit PlayOverwatch.com.

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