Overwatch 2 is no more, as Blizzard has dropped the 2 altogether for an all-new rebrand. The game has gone back to just being Overwatch, and with the name change comes a complete refresh. The season – called Overwatch Season 1: Conquest – focuses on the theme of Talon’s rise to power. Overwatch 2 was not as favoured as the original Overwatch, but is the fresh start with Overwatch Season 1 enough to relive the golden years of Overwatch? 

Before we get into the Overwatch season 1 changes, let’s first take a look at the timeline of the Overwatch series. 

When Overwatch 2 was released, it faced negativity due to the dev team’s decision to scrap the planned PvE mode and the prices of in-game cosmetics. This was very different to Overwatch 1, which made obtaining skins very accessible if you put in the work and played consistently. For instance, I’ve been an Overwatch player since November 2016. I was able to collect a huge amount of Legendary skins simply by playing often. Loot boxes could also be bought back then, but spending real money wasn’t the only way to get your hands on the best cosmetics.

When Overwatch 2 released, I ended up spending stupid amounts of money to get skins that would have once been obtainable by just playing the game. Yes, Overwatch 2 was now free to play, but charging players upwards of $50 for skins borders on the ludicrous, especially considering the game’s previous structure. Of course, you don’t have to spend money. However, for those of us who have been around since Overwatch’s beginnings, and those used to the corporate cash grab design of free-to-play online games, it’s hard not to succumb to the temptation of spending your money. 

The new rebranding of Overwatch isn’t changing the monetisation elements hugely, as the game is still free to play. However, the changes Overwatch 2 made throughout its life have made the game more viable in the long run, such as the new Perks system and the Stadium game mode. It doesn’t feel quite as bad spending money on the game because of this content, and the new and improved Overwatch seems to be focusing on doing even more for the player to at least try and justify some of those skin prices. 

The Overwatch Season 1 update has brought about plenty of changes to the game’s structure, with promises of more to come to solidify the game’s future. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable changes. 

The biggest surprise with the reveal of Overwatch Season 1 in the Overwatch 2026 Spotlight video was that there would be five new heroes playable immediately when the season dropped.  The new heroes are:

One element of Overwatch that fans have been craving for years is more narrative content. With the reveal of Overwatch Season 1, a new cinematic was released called “Reign of Talon”. The cinematic sets up where we are in the story at the time of Overwatch Season 1. Set 10 years after the Blackwatch Retribution missions, Vendetta – daughter of the former Talon leader – takes down Doomfist and forcibly takes over her father’s criminal organisation. Doomfist is presumed dead. Vendetta reigns over Talon, and it is later confirmed that Widowmaker, Sombra and Reaper are no longer Talon operatives. 

The narrative significance can be felt in the game, too, such as the Colosseo and Rialto now donning Talon banners. The Overwatch story arcs have become an integral part of the game rather than an afterthought. Faction campaigns are also now available, which allows players to pick a side – Talon or Overwatch – and complete missions to earn rewards relating to their faction. 

Overwatch will now focus on structuring seasons around the lore, with new heroes becoming more common. Loot Boxes are also making a return, as they can be earned more easily and more often. There are also plenty of changes to certain hero abilities. Be sure to check out the most recent Overwatch Season 1 patch notes for more information on all the changes. 

So, are these changes really enough to bring back the golden days of early Overwatch? Honestly, I don’t think so, but it’s as close as it’s going to get. Blizzard managed to capture lightning in a bottle when they released Overwatch. It was hailed as one of the best games of 2016, and there is no doubt that without it, we wouldn’t have other hero shooters such as VALORANT or Marvel Rivals. 

That being said, the hero shooter genre has become oversaturated since 2016. It’s hard for any game to truly stand out among the masses, even a game like Overwatch, which was an OG. However, I do think Overwatch will continue its comeback thanks to the Season 1 changes. The game has already seen a huge return of its player base. I myself have played Overwatch more in the last week than I have in months. Can the game go back to how it was in 2016? No. Can it brush off the controversies of Overwatch 2 and maintain an established player base? If it continues as strongly as it has with Season 1, then yes, it most certainly can. 

After one of the most incredible Losers runs of all time, Cody Schwab has won the GENESIS X3 Super Smash Bros. Melee Major.

“Against all odds, I somehow won GENESIS through 11 sets in Losers, through every heavy hitter,” Cody said on X (formerly Twitter). “I’ve given this game everything I physically can, and despite everything, it’s been the greatest ride of my life.”

The Melee tournament at GENESIS X3 was stacked. So stacked, in fact, that the best players in the world found themselves in the Losers side of the bracket in Top 64. Zain Naghmi, Cody Schwab and Juan ‘Hungrybox‘ DeBiedma are the top-ranked players, but surprise upsets had them fighting to see who would make it through each other to reach Top 8.

This means that pretty early into the competition, Cody had to fight Zain and then Hungrybox to avoid elimination — all on the first day. Cody fought through his two tough opponents to make it to the Top 8, where he started on Losers against Kyle ‘Krudo.’

Cody Schwab, often considered the best Fox in the world, was on fire the entire tournament. His lightning-fast punishes, high IQ mix-ups and strong ledge play had him steamrolling his Losers opponents, whether the crowd liked it or not.

After Krudo, Cody took down Justin ‘Wizzrobe‘ Hallett’s Captain Falcon in a 3-0 stomp. He was then in Losers Semi-Finals against Alexandra ‘Salt‘ Rennie, a Captain Falcon player ranked #8 in the world after becoming a threat in the scene in the 2020s.

One of the newer names in the Top 8, the crowd was hyped by her GENESIS X3 run and rooted for her throughout the set against Cody Schwab. At one point, the one-sided chanting became so intense — with the audience screaming to ‘kill him’ — that Salt and Cody both gave the crowd stern expressions mid-set.

Even though the audience was hoping for a continued Salt run, Cody Schwab had a convincing final game and eliminated her from the tournament. After winning the incredibly intense set, Cody was met with more cheering for Salt, who had already left the stage.

After that, it was a Fox mirror with Miles ‘Soonsay‘ Foster. The audience was now in favour of Cody, who nobody could deny was playing like a mad-man all weekend. He ultimately beat Soonsay 3-1 to make it to the Grand Finals.

The battle against Jake ‘Jmook‘ DiRado was largely one-sided, with Cody taking every single game the first match. This is despite Cody continuously eating a green apple and getting pieces of the fruit noticeably stuck in his teeth during the set. Jmook, he 7th-best player in the world, was clearly growing frustrated and couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face.

Cody Schwab reset the bracket, meaning he’d have to beat Jmook one more time due to coming from Losers side. This match was a little closer, with Jmook seemingly gaining some confidence in the matchup. But Cody ultimately took the win, ending one of the most intense and challenging Losers runs of all time.

Ahead of GENESIS X3, it was said that this would be the last Major for Cody Schwab ahead of his break from Melee.

After winning, Cody addressed the crowd: “I need to work on myself as a person. And I need a team. […] I want to be the best person for this community and need time off to do that. I will come back the best player for the community, but that will include Z jumping, sorry.”

Cody has claimed he wants to leave the Melee scene in the past, but he never really took a long break. Only time will tell if he means it this time, especially after the continued toxicity from the crowd and social media during his run.

“Whether you love me or hate me, I want to be someone that can engross you in the game and bring fruit to the community that’s given me so much I’m going to do my absolute best to come back financially and emotionally secure, and give this game the GOAT Fox it deserves,” Cody tweeted.

“I’m not that person yet, but for all of you, I’ll try my best. Thank you Melee, the best game in the world.”

Despite the negativity, Cody Schwab’s GENESIS X3 run will be one to remember, whether you’re a fan or not. The incredibly consistent skill and grit he showed that weekend has cemented him as possibly the best player in Melee right now.