Overwatch 2 Stadium Summer Roadmap Revealed by Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment has unveiled its exciting Overwatch 2 Stadium roadmap for 2025, providing a sneak peek into the heroes and features planned for Season 17, Season 18, Season 19, and beyond. This roadmap offers fans a clear vision of what to expect in the coming seasons, adding anticipation and excitement to the game's evolving landscape.

In a comprehensive Director’s Take blog post, game director Aaron Keller shares insights into the new mode’s past, present, and future. With Stadium now available for over a week, the team has released a summer roadmap, reflecting on the mode's origins and its impressive performance thus far.

The rollout of Stadium will continue to evolve as new Damage hero Freja joins the roster with a mid-season patch for Season 16. However, it’s Season 17 in June that promises to elevate the experience. Heroes like Junkrat, Sigma, and Zenyatta will be added, along with the Esperança Push map and Samoa Control map. This update will also introduce enhancements like Unranked Crossplay, new all-star rewards, custom games, additional example builds, and the ability to save and share builds. While the exact timing of these additions remains uncertain, players can look forward to a richer Stadium experience.

Season 18 will bring the iconic gorilla hero Winston into the fray, joined by Sojourn and Brigitte. New maps such as Route 66 and London will be added, along with a new Payload Race game mode featuring two new maps. Players will also enjoy Stadium trials and the ability to Endorse teammates, enhancing the social aspect of the game.

Looking further ahead, Season 19 and beyond will introduce a new China map and a Draft Mode feature, along with consumables and item system tweaks. Blizzard's commitment to regularly updating Stadium with both existing and new heroes ensures that the mode will continue to evolve and engage players.

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. It has quickly become the most played mode in Overwatch 2, surpassing Quick Play and Competitive with 2.3 million matches played across 7.8 million hours during its launch week. This is more than double the engagement seen during Overwatch Classic's launch week. Notably, Lucio stands out with the highest win rate and the lowest pick rate, while players have spent a staggering 900 billion Stadium Cash on 206 million item selections for their builds.

Keller’s Director’s Take also addresses the origins of Stadium, dispelling rumors that it was developed in response to Marvel Rivals, which launched in December 2024. He confirms that Stadium was in development before Overwatch 2 launched, showcasing Blizzard's long-term vision for the game.

Keller promises ongoing communication and more insights into Stadium next week. He reassures fans that while Stadium has been a popular addition, Blizzard remains committed to maintaining and improving core experiences like Quick Play and Competitive.

“Before signing off, I'd like to reiterate the team’s commitment to the Core modes of Overwatch," Keller stated. "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.”

Overwatch 2 introduced Stadium with the launch of Season 16 last week, as part of Blizzard’s broader 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. Many players feel that this is the best Overwatch experience they've seen in years.

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