Brigitte and Reinhardt have utilized a third-person perspective since the inception of Overwatch, which senior designer Dylan Snyder confirmed was a practical feature they had internally experimented with during the development of Overwatch 1. Snyder mentioned, “[We] toyed with it in Overwatch 1 at certain points, just internally, little prototypes and stuff. When we animate, there’s a first-person version and a third-person version, and [it] has always been that way since day one. So it was always an option.”

The newly introduced Stadium mode of Overwatch 2 shrinks maps, employs a best-of-seven round format, and includes this third-person option. Although it may feel unfamiliar for traditional first-person gameplay, Snyder insists that players will find value in it. Players have the option to switch perspectives smoothly depending on their characters, such as Reinhardt and Brigitte, who provide views that shift between first and third person, particularly when maneuvering with shields.

Ryan Smith highlighted that third-person perspectives have consistently been included in Overwatch’s development notes over the years, asserting its validity as a game mode. The addition to Overwatch 2 is not a drastic alteration but rather a logical evolution based on decades of gameplay experience amidst successful transitions in previous titles.