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Overwatch's PS5 beta player numbers defied logic over the weekend, with the second (and more accessible) 5v5 beta being even less popular than the first. Based on current trends, players may not flock to the game post-launch without incentives.

Using a sample of game data from over 3.1 million active PSN accounts, we can see that Astros had 8.1% fewer players in its second open beta than in its first Early Access beta. In the PlayStation charts, which rank the top 40 most popular games each week, Astros has been ranked #29 for two weeks in a row.

While the drop isn't huge, it's still unexpected considering the first beta was initially limited to pre-order players, while the second beta was supposed to be an "open beta" for all players.

However, the first beta of Star Wars was open to all PS Plus players, and it looks like this is what made Star Wars' first week more successful.

While it might seem to defy logic that the open beta had fewer players than the Early Access beta, PS Plus is a game changer. Any multiplayer gamer interested in the 5v5 arena shooter genre of Astro would naturally have PS Plus to access the multiplayer features. So with the announcement that Early Access was open to PS Plus, this would naturally attract a core player base in the first weekend.

Apparently, the 70s-style sci-fi shooter managed to retain most of its players by the second weekend. However, due to the lack of novelty factor as a PS Plus bonus, it was unable to retain its player base. Perhaps these missing players lost interest after the first weekend, didn't realize there would be a second beta, or decided to wait until launch.

However, if Overwatch players don't return to play the second beta over the second weekend, then the problem will be even more serious. If Sony wants the game to be successful, it will have to step up its promotion efforts in the month leading up to the PS5 and PC release on August 23, 2024.