Ah, 2021. A simpler time when I still believed I’d have abs by 2026 and that Overwatch 2 would arrive before my sourdough starter died. Blizzard, in its infinite wisdom, decided to give the original Overwatch a dedicated Xbox Series X/S performance upgrade—and completely ignored the PS5. Cue the collective scream of Sony fanboys, myself included. I remember staring at my PS5, which was gathering dust next to a half-eaten bag of chips, and whispering, “Why won’t you love me like Xbox does?”
The patch notes were a beautiful buffet of options. Three graphics modes, each one a different flavor of compromise. Let me break it down, because I love a good table almost as much as I love complaining about console wars.
| Mode | Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S | What it sacrifices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 4K at 60Hz | 1440p at 60Hz | Visual quality |
| Balanced | 1440p at 60Hz | 1080p at 60Hz | Higher resolution |
| Framerate | 1440p at 120Hz | 1080p at 120Hz | Visual quality and resolution |
Is it weird that a game from 2016 got a next-gen glow-up before my laundry got folded? Absolutely. But what really grinded my gears was the PS5-shaped elephant in the room. Sony’s console wasn’t mentioned in the patch notes at all. No dedicated performance update. Nothing. Just silence, like a Sombra who forgot to say “boop.”
Why would Blizzard skip PS5? According to the wise sages of game development, optimizing for two Xbox consoles is actually easier than patching one PS5. With Xbox Series X/S, it’s mostly a matter of unlocking the console’s power—like opening a cage and letting the framerate run free. PS5, on the other hand, usually requires a native port. So while Xbox players were enjoying their shiny new modes, PS5 owners were left out in the cold, like a Reinhardt who charged off the map. An update for Sony’s console was surely coming soon, they said. Sure. And I’m surely going to clean my desk this week.
Meanwhile, we were all waiting for Overwatch 2. Announced at BlizzCon 2019, the sequel promised returning and new characters, expanded PvE missions, and AI companions. You could theoretically play the story mode solo with a team of bots. Which sounds great, until you remember that bots in Overwatch have the situational awareness of a caffeinated squirrel. Blizzard hadn’t finalized that feature yet, but we were told to expect more information in the coming weeks and months. Game director Jeff Kaplan was characteristically coy, which is a polite way of saying he was a human vault with a beard.
Fast forward to 2026. Oh, how the turntables have turned. Overwatch 2 launched in 2022, went free-to-play, and has been churning out seasons, heroes, and balance changes ever since. Jeff Kaplan left Blizzard in 2021, the PvE story missions finally arrived in 2023 but in a much smaller form than the grand campaign we imagined, and the original Overwatch is now a museum piece. That Xbox Series X/S patch? It’s a fascinating relic of a time when we thought 120Hz was the peak of human achievement.
So why am I dredging up this ancient console drama in 2026? Because it still makes me laugh. And because the PS5 eventually got its own performance updates for Overwatch 2, of course. These days, the game runs on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and even the Nintendo Switch, which is basically a miracle of modern science. Cross-play is standard, cross-progression is a thing, and we’ve all moved on to arguing about 6v6 versus 5v5 like it’s a religious war.
But back then, in 2021, the PS5 snub felt personal. It was a reminder that console exclusivity and performance patches can turn grown adults into screaming children. Is that healthy? No. Is it relatable? If you’re reading this, probably yes.
So here’s my 2026 advice: if you’re still holding a grudge about a patch from five years ago, let it go. Or don’t. I’m a gamer, not a therapist. Just remember that whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, or a potato, the real next-gen upgrade was the friends we made along the way. And also 120Hz. 120Hz is really nice.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go stare at my PS5 and apologize for bringing up old wounds. It’s okay, buddy. You’re still my favorite. Just don’t tell my Xbox.