Overwatch 2 is sinking; Blizzard devs didn't receive bonuses

Before Battle Royales came onto the scene, Overwatch was the sensation on PC and consoles, and Blizzard had scored another success. However, everything changed, trends shifted in another direction, and the game ceased to be the gaming phenomenon it once was. Overwatch 2 opted for a free-to-play model, releasing on all consoles and PC, including Switch, but the good results have not been on its side, and this second installment is sinking further and further.

Overwatch 2: Blizzard Didn't Award Bonuses to Workers Due to Poor Results

According to a report by renowned journalist Jason Schreier, developers and workers associated with Overwatch 2 did not receive bonuses from Blizzard due to the game's poor financial performance. It's noted that there's been a general change in Blizzard's incentive policy as for years, bonuses were offered to all employees regardless of the game they worked on, based on the company's financial results. If the results were positive and goals were met, there would be 2 bonuses per year, meaning that Blizzard distributed part of its wealth among all.

NEW: Behind the scenes on Overwatch 2:
- Devs got a stunning 0% of profit-sharing bonuses this month
- No more PvE
- But there's optimism for the game's competitive future

This week's newsletter: https://t.co/scxx6EA9Sk

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) March 22, 2024

However, following the acquisition by Activision and on the initiative of Bobby Kotick, who suggested that only the most successful games should be the cause of incentives, Blizzard began a modification process in which each video game had financial goals that determined whether or not bonuses were awarded to the workers.

In the case of Overwatch 2, the results have not been encouraging, and the report indicates that in 2023, Blizzard informed the workers that financial goals had not been met, so they were not deserving of bonuses, but the company let the occasion pass and gave the incentive to the workers in hopes of better results.

Unfortunately, last month Blizzard informed Overwatch 2 workers that there would be no bonuses due to poor financial results, and this time the situation would not be overlooked. The report mentions that not receiving bonuses is unusual at Blizzard and is a very bad indicator of the state of a game as a business, so Overwatch 2 is not doing well at all.

The crisis in Overwatch 2 has led to emergency measures being implemented, such as the recent announcement that all heroes will be available for free in Season 10, and there will be no refunds for those who purchased battle passes.