Flashpoint Game Mode Brings Chaos and Beauty to Overwatch 2
The newest season of Overwatch 2, codenamed Invasion for its extensive focus on the game’s PvE Story Missions, is packed to the brim with content. Of the myriad offerings launching on Aug. 10, none will have more of a long-term effect on the game than Flashpoint, a new game mode that boasts expansive maps and multiple capture points.
Flashpoint’s objective is deceptively simple: each massive map has five capture points that become available in rotation, one at a time, and the first team to fully take over three points wins the mode.
Though the mode’s explanation makes it sound easy as pie, don’t be fooled: Flashpoint is made up of equal parts running and absolute chaos. More importantly, it’s fun. Some players will definitely despise it, but others will appreciate the spice it brings to Overwatch 2’s sometimes-stale mode rotation.
Flashpoint Overview
When Flashpoint was first announced, longtime players worried that it would be the unwelcome return of Assault maps, also known as 2CP. Every Overwatch veteran has nightmares about hour-long Hanamura games and the looming possibility of that slog returning wasn’t exciting. Thankfully, Flashpoint is far from the 5CP nightmare cynics threatened it would be.
A quick rundown on Flashpoint, an all-new core mode launching with #Overwatch2: Invasion on Aug 10 at 12pm PT ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/EgUqLp04V3
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) August 9, 2023
A predetermined point kicks the game mode off every time–Market in Suravasa and Arena in New Junk City–and after that one is taken over, another random point from the four remaining will unlock. Surprisingly, that’s the most structured part of Flashpoint. Players are thankfully given ample time to get to the new point and possibly get a fight in before it unlocks and the real fun begins.
Once a point is unlocked, though, Flashpoint turns into a mosh pit. Every point on the new maps seems to have both high and low ground attack points as well as obstacles like walls or holes into the abyss. With multiple doors and flank routes, teams can attack from a dedicated direction or tackle all of them at once.
In pre-release playtesting, everyone tended to either battle it out on the point like it was a Control map or take ill-advised solo fights on the perimeter of the capture zone. Sometimes it felt impossible to not run into an enemy player while trying to take the ideal route to rejoin your team. The only options are to fight it out or hope you’re faster than your adversary.
Suravasa and New Junk City
Suravasa, one of the two maps launching with Flashpoint on Aug. 10, is the main place where these accidental battles will happen over and over again. The map is undeniably beautiful, with lush greenery and old-world architecture that sparkles with color schemes endemic to India. That ancient style also means Suravasa is full of hallways, windows, and a few surprise cliffside.
The map is unfortunately as overwhelming as it is gorgeous. Due to its size and layout, it feels like the least friendly map for new players; even veteran Overwatch content creators were getting lost and turned around in playtesting. Flashpoint lacks the relative flow that modes like Push or Escort have, so Suravasa is absolutely not a map new Overwatch 2 players should start their journey on.
New Junk City is the other map launching with Flashpoint and it might be one of the most fun maps the Overwatch 2 team has ever put out. It’s everything players enjoy about Junkertown with more lore, more shenanigans, and fewer overpowered sniper positions. New Junk City is full of fun graffiti, shoddy little stores, and the Wasteland vibe Junker Queen insists on.
The map’s initial control point is always Arena, which is one of the most striking areas in the entire game. A huge neon sign welcomes you into a “gladiator pit” that boasts extremely immersive crowd noises. Meeting teammates in the pit makes you susceptible to attacks, but heroes that can hop up back to the viewing areas will do well here.
Another winning point on New Junk City is Refinery, a metallic zone that glows with green light that’s definitely radioactive. The key feature of this point is a massive hole in the middle that drops you into a maze of sewer-like ramps. It’s Oasis’s midpoint circle on steroids. Refinery is a nightmare if you have zero spatial reasoning, but Roadhog and Lúcio players will be raking in record playtime on this point.
Overall Impressions
Overwatch 2 isn’t reinventing the wheel by introducing Flashpoint and that might be the mode’s biggest strength. Multiple-point capture modes have been popular in FPS games for eons and there’s a reason for that: constant movement and the promise of new objectives make for an addictive gaming experience, no matter how chaotic it might be.
Flashpoint feels wild and untamed, but necessary in Overwatch 2’s ecosystem. Opinions will likely be polarized, though. For players at casual ranks looking for a new challenge, it’s an absolute blast. New players will be a bit lost. The biggest disparity will come from high-tier and professional players, who will either love Flashpoint for its nearly-infinite flank routes or absolutely hate the mode due to its unpredictability.
The good news for everyone is that Flashpoint will be available in Quick Play and Arcade (and custom games, if you’re setting up a full lobby) for a full two weeks before it’s thrust upon us in Competitive mode. Hop in on Aug. 10 and enjoy the atmosphere.
Liz “mizliz” Richardson is a freelance journalist, editor, and esports nerd based out of Chicago. Over the past four years, Liz has cemented herself as one of the most prominent remaining voices in Overwatch 2 and Overwatch League coverage. She’s been nominated twice for Esports Journalist of the Year by the Esports Awards, has been featured on the Overwatch League site and broadcast multiple times, and has probably authored a few terrible memes that have crossed your Twitter timeline. Inviting new fans–especially of marginalized genders or identities–into the esports scene is Liz’s greatest passion in journalism, followed close behind by humorous pieces and the big, bold feature stories that make the grind worth it. When Liz isn’t dunking reply guys on the internet, she’s likely treasure hunting at thrift stores, crafting sparkly jewelry, or making poor life choices at Target and Ulta.