Overwatch 2 Map Reworks: Learning from Junkertown to Fix Havana, Circuit Royale & Dorado

Ever since Overwatch 2 launched back in 2022, the devs haven't been shy about giving the game a facelift ✨. They've gone back to some of the O.G. maps from the first game—like tweaking Watchpoint Gibraltar in Season 5 and Route 66 in Season 7—maps that are practically relics at this point! The recent Season 9 glow-up for Junkertown, especially adding that much-needed cover on the first point, got me thinking 🤔. It's like the devs finally handed attackers a decent umbrella in a sniper's rainstorm ☔. If they can fix Junkertown's notorious sniper alley, then there are a few other maps screaming for the same love. The philosophy seems clear: smooth out those 'historical pain points' that have had us groaning for years. Adding sneaky flank routes or strategic barriers on maps with endless sightlines could totally transform the vibe, making matches feel less like a chore and more like a dynamic chess match ♟️.

Havana's Final Point: A Sniper's Paradise (And Everyone Else's Nightmare) 🏝️🔫

Okay, let's talk Havana. This escort map dropped in 2019, and its third point has been a community meme for how sniper-dependent it is. Pushing that cart through the final stretch feels like trying to cross a wide-open field while someone with a high-powered telescope has you in their sights 👁️. Sure, you can win without a Widow or Hanzo on attack, but if the defense has a competent sniper holding that high ground? Forget about it. The entire fight often boils down to which team has the better DPS carry, leaving tanks and supports feeling like spectators in their own match.

The Junkertown rework is the perfect blueprint here. Adding some cover—maybe a few more crumbling walls or market stalls—along that final street would be a game-changer. It wouldn't ruin the sniper playstyle but would give other heroes a fighting chance to use the space. Imagine it like adding a few strategic sandbags to a trench; it doesn't stop the artillery, but it gives the infantry a moment to breathe and plan their next move 🪖. Right now, playing support on Havana's last point can feel like being a medic patching up soldiers in a shooting gallery—utterly futile if your DPS can't win the duel.

Circuit Royale: A Beautiful, Brutal Chokepoint 🏎️💥

If Havana's problem is one brutal point, Circuit Royale's issue is the entire map's DNA. It's visually STUNNING—like racing through a postcard—but playing it can be a slog. Those gorgeous, long boulevards are a Poke DPS dream team's playground:

• Widowmaker

• Hanzo

• Ashe

• Sojourn

Running double sniper here isn't just meta; it often feels mandatory. The real pain point is the second segment. The path slopes upward, giving the defending team a permanent high-ground advantage for that whole section. Pair that with a defender spawn that's basically right around the corner, and you've got a choke point harder to crack than a walnut in a hydraulic press 🥜. Attacking snipers suddenly find themselves at a severe disadvantage, staring up at an enemy nest.

Fixing this might need more radical surgery than just adding a box. They could level the terrain a bit or, my personal wish, add an alternative flank route. Something that heroes with limited mobility (I'm looking at you, Cassidy and Ana) could use to apply pressure without needing a Symmetra taxi or burning a precious cooldown. The map needs a pressure valve, a secret tunnel under the racetrack, to break the stalemate.

Dorado: The Tale of Two High Grounds 🏜️⚖️

Ah, Dorado. A map that's been with us since 2016, and yet, its first point still causes more frustration than a puzzle with a missing piece 🧩. We've all been there: the attack stalls immediately because the defenders have that sweet, sweet high ground on the first archway, and it feels like you need to farm three ultimates just to have a chance at dislodging them.

The core issue is the lopsided high-ground access. Defenders get it for free on Point A, while attackers have to work for it. Moving past that, the map doesn't get much better. To reach the crucial high grounds later on, you're often funneled toward one of two out-of-the-way staircases. If you don't want to use them (or can't because, you know, you're being shot at), your options are limited to mobility cooldowns:

Hero	Mobility Tool for High Ground
Widowmaker	Grappling Hook
Ashe	Coach Gun
Symmetra	Teleporter (for the team!)

This design inherently limits heroes like Cassidy or Ana, who can't easily scale walls like Kiriko or Genji. It forces specific team comps and makes the map feel less about strategic choice and more about hero selection. A rework could look at redistributing that high-ground power or adding more gradual, protected ramps. Think of it like rebalancing a seesaw; right now, the defender's side is weighed down with anvils, and the attackers are just dangling in the air 🤸‍♂️. Giving attackers a more consistent way to challenge that space would make the entire payload push feel less like a predetermined slog.

Final Thoughts 💭

Looking at Junkertown's successful makeover, it's clear Blizzard is willing to listen and adjust. Maps aren't sacred relics; they're living parts of the game that need to evolve with the roster and meta. Havana, Circuit Royale, and Dorado are prime candidates for the next round of renovations. The goal shouldn't be to remove sniper play or high-ground strategy entirely—that's what makes Overwatch, well, Overwatch! The goal should be to turn these maps from one-dimensional tests of aim into multi-layered playgrounds where every role has a moment to shine. Here's hoping the devs have more blueprints ready for 2026! 🛠️✨