Access for those who signed up for Blizzard's second Overwatch 2 beta is ongoing, following the first beta and the original announcement of the game at Blizzcon 2019. It was projected that all registered players would be granted access to Overwatch 2's beta by July 14, which is only about four days before this wave closes.

Those who are currently playtesting the game, along with those who watch Overwatch 2 streamers, are likely already familiar with the new Quick Play mode that got introduced. At the moment the only modes that are available are Unranked, which features Role Queue and Open Queue, alongside Custom Games, and the Practice Range, but Overwatch 2's Quick Play shows how the first game could have benefitted from a similar system.

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Overwatch 2 Introduces Competitive Rules in Quick Play

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In the beta's Unranked mode, players found they were following the Competitive rule set, though without gaining or losing any Skill Rating (SR) points. This allows for each team to fully play out each map and experience the game in its entirety. If a player were defending on a map like Kings Row for one round of the game, the game will place them and their team on offense in the next round.

In the Quick Play mode of Overwatch prime, Competitive rules do not apply, so those looking for a fast queue must accept that the game they play may also be faster. The trade-off has frustrated some users in the past, as they may have any number of reasons to opt-out of Ranked gameplay, even if it's just as simple as wanting to play the game more casually than what Competitive calls for. Between no longer having to worry about SR, lacking the time for long queues, and avoiding tilting players, there are plenty of benefits to forgoing Ranked using Overwatch 2's Quick Play.

The First Overwatch Needs a Higher Stakes Quick Play Mode

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While many think Overwatch 2 should keep this new Quick Play mode, it seems appropriate that the first Overwatch be treated to the same. While the two installments are not drastically different, fans already know that Overwatch 2 will be replacing the first game when it launches. In the final months leading up to the original Overwatch's demise, Blizzard should consider implementing this higher-stakes gameplay into Quick Play before it's no longer an option.

The unique meta of Overwatch deserves to experience a Quick Play mode that doesn't come with the baggage of Ranked game modes. The new 5v5 formula of Overwatch 2 is interesting in its own right, but will obviously play out differently in most circumstances. Not everyone can get into the Overwatch 2 beta, and even those that have don't get a full-fledged experience with the typical achievements or rewards. Players can't queue for Competitive in the beta, which may result in them heading back to the first Overwatch. The downside of this return is missing out on a Competitive-oriented Quick Play mode.

Following the news that Overwatch 2 is removing levels in exchange for battle pass progress, it's not clear how Competitive will be matched when the game launches in October. For some, a Quick Play mode that still respects Competitive rules will be the solution to fully experiencing every map without having to delve into higher-stakes content. Until Overwatch 2 is ready, Blizzard should make a Quick Play mode that follows the same guidelines for the original title.

Overwatch 2 launches on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A beta is available through July 18.

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