Blizzard is rolling out major changes to Overwatch 2’s new Stadium mode in response to community feedback. Cross-play support, performance improvements, hero balancing, and more are on the way in Season 16.
Blizzard is gearing up to deliver major updates to Overwatch 2‘s newest mode, Stadium, following widespread community feedback. Since Stadium’s debut with Season 16 on April 22, players have praised the fresh gameplay twist but also voiced concerns about several critical issues — and Blizzard is listening.
In a series of posts across X and the official Overwatch blog, Blizzard acknowledged the three biggest areas of concern: lack of cross-play support, a high rate of leavers, and performance struggles on older systems. Game director Aaron Keller confirmed that these issues are a top priority and outlined the team’s roadmap for improvements in the coming weeks.
Cross-play support is one of the most requested features. Blizzard has admitted that its absence is a problem and plans to re-enable cross-play in Stadium soon. While it won’t be immediate, players can expect it to arrive around the mid-point of Season 16 or in early Season 17. Keller noted that, depending on Stadium’s popularity, cross-play may be introduced either through an unranked version of the mode or directly into the current ranked setup.
Addressing concerns about players quitting mid-match, Blizzard shared that internal data shows Stadium’s leaver rate at about 7%, which is similar to the standard Ranked mode. However, the developers are investigating further, acknowledging that player perception may differ, and have already fixed a bug affecting quitter penalties.
Performance on older hardware, such as Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, has also been a sticking point. Because Stadium introduces new mechanics, abilities, and a third-person camera, it demands more from systems than typical Overwatch modes. To stabilize performance, Blizzard locked older consoles to 30fps but is now working on dynamic solutions to improve the experience without sacrificing stability. These changes are being tested and could roll out in a near-term patch.
Hero balancing is another area Blizzard is monitoring closely. Although overall win rates across heroes are healthy, some characters have been flagged by players as overpowered or underwhelming. While it’s too early for sweeping changes, a new patch will specifically target tweaks for heroes like Cassidy, D.Va, and Zarya. Additionally, Blizzard is collecting data on the impact of the new hero Freja, item perks, and hero bans introduced with Stadium.
Blizzard also confirmed fixes for a visual bug causing Battle Pass XP to appear as zero at the end of matches, despite XP being earned correctly. Moreover, players can expect an increase in the number of Competitive Points awarded in Stadium, expected to take effect around the mid-season update.
With Marvel Rivals maintaining strong momentum and Overwatch 2 evolving rapidly, Blizzard’s responsiveness to feedback could prove crucial. Stadium has brought fresh energy to the game, and if Blizzard’s plans deliver as promised, it may become a major pillar of Overwatch 2’s future.
Read the latest game tournaments and eSports news via Tournova.
