Overwatch 2 introduced perks as a gameplay feature in Season 15.
Perks arrived in February 2025 and added progression inside standard matches. As players earn experience during a game, they level up twice and choose between two options at each level. These choices modify existing hero abilities, allowing the same character to develop in different directions during a match.
For example, a perk can alter how an ability behaves rather than merely increasing a numerical statistic. Pharah’s Concussive Blast can gain an effect that pulls opponents inward instead of pushing them away. The result is a layer of customization that changes tactics without replacing Overwatch’s hero-based identity.
Perks are easy to confuse with loadouts, runes, or talents from other games, but those were not the feature introduced by Season 15. The season also brought back loot boxes and tested or supported other changes, yet perks specifically refer to the in-match ability-modification system. Their stated design goal was to keep matches from feeling stagnant while avoiding a permanent progression system.