Overwatch 2 developers have come forward to claim that the new Wave Respawn feature implemented in Season 12 has massively improved matchmaking by reducing “one-sided” matches in both competitive and quick play.
Blizzard’s hero shooter Overwatch 2 has just entered its twelfth season. Overwatch 2: New Frontiers saw plenty of content being added to the game, including new hero Juno, more cosmetics, and balancing changes to much of the roster.
One less-known addition was the implementation of the Wave Respawn feature, which aimed to reduce the number of one-sided matches across the board. No one likes a snowball.
Now with Season 12 fully out the door, the devs have circled back to claim that Wave Respawn has indeed improved matchmaking in both quick and competitive play, resulting in more fair matches across the board.
I'm happy to report that Wave Respawn has reduced the number of one-sided matches even more than Group Respawn did. Short thread for full explanation.
— Gavin Winter (@WhiteHawke8) August 27, 2024
Systems designer Gavin Winter explained on X (formerly Twitter) the impact the new feature has had on the game.
“I’m happy to report that Wave Respawn has reduced the number of one-sided matches even more than Group Respawn did,” the dev explained. “The number of one-sided matches in Quick Play has seen another ~7-8% reduction in total rate since the data we showed in our last Director’s Take.”
According to the developer, Wave Respawn has also had a positive impact on competitive play, citing 4-5% fewer one-sided matches when compared to the end of Season 11.
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Wave Respawn forces players to respawn simultaneously, with the first hero dying, starting a new Wave. Every hero that dies within six seconds of the Wave starting will automatically join the Wave, meaning they’ll respawn with the first hero who started the Wave.
This reduces the amount of snowballing that can happen in games, as players are forced to respawn at the same time. Furthermore, it prevents them from getting caught out again and further delays the team’s ability to group.
Despite the statistical success, some players have expressed that the feature feels disruptive to play with.
Obviously you have the data, but I think wave respawn is too disruptive for clash, making it a never ending fight all game long. In the test last season I didn’t felt it this bad, and in the other modes it feels fine.
— Zheoni (@zheoni) August 28, 2024
“This is nice and all but I feel like the respawn time is now weird, sometimes I sit there for an eternity waiting to respawn and sometimes I’m back in no time” one player explained.
“Wave spawns feel awful”, another agreed.
It’s clear the devs are still looking to take in more feedback about the changes, but with the numbers looking good, it may prove that Wave Respawn is here to stay in Overwatch 2.