Overwatch 2 removes another PvE mode, saying it “didn’t resonate with players”

Blizzard Entertainment is removing the PvE Hero Mastery Gauntlet mode from Overwatch 2 because it believes it “did not resonate” with players.

The developer announced the news on its forums, explaining the reasoning behind its decision in a statement. Starting in Season 11, the Hero Mastery Gauntlet, a tower defense mode in which players team up against robots, will no longer be accessible.

Solo Hero Mastery courses will remain available as a single-player offering, with more courses expected to arrive in future seasons. You can see the full statement below:

Hero Mastery Gauntlet launched in March 2024, meaning it will only be available for about three months before being discontinued. Although the mode has been criticized by many, some are disappointed not only because it disappears so soon, but also because it represents another abandoned PvE mode in Overwatch 2’s history.

In May 2023, Blizzard announced that it we will no longer add the long-promised PvE Hero mode to Overwatch 2. It had been billed as one of the biggest changes to the franchise, largely known for its PvP content, since Overwatch 2’s initial announcement. Aaron Keller finally apologized for the change of directioncalling the mode “an exciting but gargantuan vision.”

Overwatch 2 launched in 2022 as a sequel to Blizzard’s original hero shooter. Even though we liked it as soon as it came out, giving it a score of 8/10 our opinionHero shooter tracking has changed in several major ways over the past few years.

Following the decision to close the Overwatch League late last year, Blizzard announced that it make new heroes available to all players instead of locking them behind a premium battle pass purchase. The company kept this promise with season 10delivering all the old playable characters and its new hero Damage, Adventureaccessible to everyone.

The current season lasts another 28 days, meaning you have just under a month to enjoy Hero Mastery Gauntlet’s last bit of fun before co-op disappears for good. To learn more about the future of Blizzard, you can read on the cancellation of BlizzCon 2024 and discover the new Porsche Overwatch 2 crossover event.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor at IGN. He began writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work in media outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to follow him on Twitter @MikeCripe.