Overwatch 2 Stadium Summer Roadmap Revealed by Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment has exciting news for Overwatch 2 fans with the unveiling of its Stadium roadmap for 2025. This roadmap outlines the heroes and features slated to be introduced in Season 17, Season 18, Season 19, and beyond, providing players with a glimpse into the future of this thrilling mode.

In a detailed Director's Take blog post, game director Aaron Keller shared insights into the past, present, and future of Stadium. With the mode now available for over a week, Keller surprised fans with a summer roadmap and shed light on its origins and performance.

The Stadium rollout will see significant developments starting with the addition of new Damage hero Freja in a mid-season patch for Season 16. However, it’s Season 17 in June that promises to elevate the experience with the introduction of Junkrat, Sigma, and Zenyatta. Alongside these heroes, the Esperança Push map and Samoa Control map will enhance the strategic multiplayer mode.

Blizzard aims to enrich Stadium further by introducing Unranked Crossplay, new all-star rewards, custom games, additional example builds, and the ability to save and share builds. While it's unclear whether all these features will be available at the start of Season 17 or staggered throughout, players can look forward to an enriched gaming experience.

Moving to Season 18, Overwatch's beloved gorilla, Winston, will join the fray, accompanied by Sojourn and Brigitte. This season will also introduce the Route 66 and London maps, as well as a new Payload Race game mode, complete with two new maps, a Stadium trials feature, and the option to Endorse teammates.

Looking ahead to Season 19 and beyond, Blizzard plans to keep the momentum going with multiple new heroes from both the existing Overwatch 2 roster and new characters yet to be revealed. A new China map is on the horizon, along with a Draft Mode feature, consumables, and tweaks to the item system, promising a continually evolving gameplay experience.

Overwatch 2 Stadium summer 2025 roadmap. Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

How has Stadium Performed so Far?

The Overwatch 2 team has shared impressive statistics about Stadium's performance since its launch. The mode has surpassed Quick Play and Competitive, becoming the most played mode with 2.3 million matches played across 7.8 million hours during its launch week alone. This represents more than double the engagement seen during Overwatch Classic's launch week.

Notable statistics include Lucio boasting the highest win rate while also having the lowest pick rate. Players have also spent a staggering 900 billion Stadium Cash and chosen 206 million items for their builds, showcasing the mode's popularity and engagement.

Aaron Keller's Director's Take also clarified that Stadium was in development before Overwatch 2's launch, dispelling rumors that it was a response to Marvel Rivals, which launched in December 2024.

Keller assured fans that Blizzard will continue to communicate openly about Stadium's development, with another Director's Take scheduled for next week. Despite Stadium's popularity, Blizzard remains dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the core experiences of Quick Play and Competitive modes.

"Before signing off, I'd like to reiterate the team’s commitment to the Core modes of Overwatch," Keller emphasized. "We’re still pouring as much time, energy, and passion into these as we always have. Stadium isn't competing for those resources: it’s giving us more opportunities to deliver Overwatch in a new, exciting way.

"We can't wait for you to see what's coming there, especially Season 18. It's going to be a banger! Have fun with Stadium and, as always, let’s make a great game."

Stadium was introduced with the launch of Season 16 last week, as part of Blizzard's efforts to reinvigorate its player base. This initiative began with an all-encompassing Spotlight presentation in February, leading to the return of loot boxes and an improved Steam rating, with many feeling that this is the best Overwatch experience fans have seen in years.

While we eagerly await further updates, you can explore our comprehensive guide to learn more about Stadium and check out our recommendations for the best Tank Builds, DPS Builds, and Support Builds.