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Looking for some Overwatch patch notes? Esports.gg has you covered with all the notes, observations, and more regarding the game’s ever-changing landscape. Below you’ll find a rolling list of the patch notes so far in 2023. Today, we have your Overwatch 2 patch notes featuring Mauga and Season 8!
Be sure to bookmark this page so you can keep track of what’s going on in everyone’s favorite shooter.
Overwatch 2 patch notes, Dec. 12, 2023
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MAUGA
Incendiary and Volatile Chainguns
Well, that didn’t take long. Part of the problem with Mauga is that, given the chance, he just does too much damage. We’ll see if this affects his overall utility.
Season 8 Overwatch 2 patch notes, Dec. 5, 2023
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Unranked Leaver Penalty Updates
Leaving 4 out of your last 20 games played will result in a 20-minute suspension from being able to queue for most game modes, including Unranked and Competitive.
Leaving 6 out of your last 20 games played will result in a 4-hour suspension from being able to queue for most game modes, including Unranked and Competitive.
MMR Decay now only occurs for Competitive Play at the start of a new season.
MMR Decay is not applied to roles that qualify for a rank.
Example: A player that won five games and got a Competitive Update will not decay at the end of a season.
If a player does not have a rank already who won three games and did not get a Competitive Update, that player will decay at the end of that season.
If the player does have a rank, they only need to play one match in the season to keep their rank for the next season.
HERO UPDATES – SEASON 8 OVERWATCH 2 PATCH NOTES
Maximum ultimate charge preserved on hero swap reduced from 25 to 15%.
Added Hero-Specific Options to every character to adjust the rumble strength of each of their abilities.
Huh. And they say chivalry is dead. Well, it certainly is now that I can dive in, almost get killed, hit ‘Q’, and come out sparkling.
Base health reduced from 500 to 350.
Base armor increased from 0 to 150.
Head hit volume reduced 15%.
Incendiary and Volatile Chainguns
Spread for firing both guns reduced 15%.
Fire rate multiplier for firing both guns reduced from 25% to 0%.
Damage per shot increased from 4.5 to 5.
Damage falloff range increased from 25 to 30 meters.
Max ammo increased from 300 to 350.
Movement speed penalty reduced from 20% to 15% per gun.
Not even officially out and already getting buffs! Here’s hoping Blizzard does this early tease/stealth PTR test thing with new Heroes going forward. We’ll have to wait and see if these changes make him less brittle.
Strange changes for what has been one of the least unchanged Tank Heroes as of late. The damage increase in his non-Chad Mode is nice though.
Oh, look: An ant on the ceiling. Ah, there’s another one! Delightful creatures.
Welcome back to the meta, Winton.
HERO UPDATES – DPS
Up, down. Down, up. Never-ending. All these squares form a circle.
They nerfed Soldier? I didn’t know that was a thing you could do.
To be blunt, EMP post-rework was one of the worst Ultimates in the game. I don’t know if this helps, but the lockout will at least keep you from dying immediately upon hitting ‘Q’.
I want off Mr. Bones Wild Ride.
I want some pudding. Luckily, it is Christmas.
SUPPORT UPDATES – SEASON 8 OVERWATCH 2 PATCH NOTES
This is in no way going to deter DPS Baps, but nice try.
Gotta say, won’t miss the one-shot combo potential our resident cat lover possessed.
Sure, make the best Support even better. Why not?
I… Did not know this was a thing that happened. So… Cool.
Overwatch 2 patch notes, Nov. 14, 2023
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Previous secondary fire functionality has been removed.
Total damage per shot increased from 150 to 160.
Shotgun pellet count reduced from 25 to 16.
Shotgun pellet damage increased from 6 to 6.25.
Now fires a shrapnel volley of 4 large projectiles in the center of the shot.
Each shrapnel projectile deals 15 damage.
Critical damage multiplier reduced from 2x to 1.5x.
Now activated by holding Secondary Fire.
Cooldown for each use decreased from 8 seconds to 1 second.
A new resource meter has been added. This meter will deplete while Take a Breather is active and then recharge when it’s not in use.
Take a Breather requires 12 seconds to reach full charge from empty.
At a full charge, Take a Breather can heal up to 450 health over 3 seconds.
Take a Breather will now remain active as long as its assigned hotkey is held.
An option to “Toggle Take a Breather” has been added under Options > Controls > Roadhog.
Damage reduction decreased from 50% to 30%.
No longer amplifies healing received upon ending.
This is a new ability assigned to Ability 2 by default.
Launch a trap that slows and damages nearby enemies.
Deals 60 damage when triggered and 30 damage per second in an area.
3-second duration once activated.
40% movement speed slow.
Cooldown is 12 seconds.
Well, here we are. Our blessed Overwatch patch notes bring us the long-promised Roadhog rework. However, is he still Roadhog? Only time will tell, but Pig Pen is interesting and gives ‘Hog back his kill potential without it being a fully unfair fight.
Overwatch patch notes, Season 7 – October 31, 2023
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D.VA already felt fairly strong, so faster projectiles across the board feels like a major buff.
Considering Doomfist is probably the best dive tank at the moment, this feels appropriate. Often when you’re stunned by Doom, it feels like a death sentence for his auto-attack shots. At least now there’s some wiggle room.
Well, I had actually assumed his secondary fire had infinite range… So, I guess I was wrong. That’s neat.
The fabled Bastion nerfs are… minor. Weapon spread increase feels fair, and even with two seconds added to the CD he’s still a beast.
One less thing to kill Tracer and Sombra, I suppose.
One of many changes meant to buff tanks overall. Wrecking Ball players, rejoice.
Considering that EMP is just awful now, this feels fine.
Small buffs, but appreciated ones for all them Widow stand out there. Infra-Sight coming up more often is of real value when Sombra is the meta.
Ana has actually become fairly offensive and aggressive the past few updates. This, in part, is because of Bio Nade. I don’t think this nerf will change that, but it at least allows for a bit more counter-play.
Sunrise, sunset. Bap is in a constant state of being nerfed, buffed, and nerfed again.
Fairly major nerfs to everyone’s favorite battle support. In fairness, her projectile size felt too good, and even after these changes the Pylon is fantastic. It simply means you’re going to have to be smart about placement.
You should see me on my bike.
As a Lifeweaver main, this feels pretty aggressive for a character not used once during OWL playoffs or OWWC. The extra three seconds on Life Grip feels especially punishing.
Base health increased from 50 to 75 (total 225 HP).
Changes that seem scarier on-paper than in actuality. However, the seven seconds between Discord Orb applications feels especially like a hard tank buff.
Overwatch patch notes, Season 7 – October 10, 2023
UNRANKED LEAVER PENALTIES
Hoo, boy is this a long time coming. For months Quick Play has been haunted by the specter of players leaving matches the minute it goes south. These changes reflect a nice balance between punishing the worst offenders and not harming those trying to get away from a bad situation. Overwatch Season 7 may see less leavers, with any luck.
Orisa is almost unkillable in most situations at the moment. This change reflects one that will most impact casual play and not requiring a Zenyatta just to get our resident robo horse-girl down for the count.
I mean… Look, if they want to buff Chad Mode that’s fine with me. Good tank is still good.
Oh, we’re so back. For those that don’t play Ball this may seem like a nothing change, but the spread reduction on one of the game’s best guns is nothing to sneeze at. This will allow Hammond the ability to secure kills much easier than before.
Say farewell to those OWL playoffs buffs. While the cooldown reduction remains from the previous patch, all the other changes get kicked out the door. Honestly, that’s fine. This is, once again, a change that will most have an effect on casual players and their inability to not shoot Zarya while bubbled.
…. Combat Roll reduces damage?
A bad change! Blizzard can’t seem to figure out who they want Mei to be, but the Deep Freeze change was one that encouraged more active play. I don’t know why it got removed, but she’s worse off for it.
Well, you should see his meat balls.
Landing your Whip Shots is the key to good Brig play and this will reward that even further.
I’m not a fan of this change, as Illari’s secondary healing is her only option for emergency heals. That said, 120 health per second is nutso, so this is perhaps, more fair.
Overwatch patch notes – Sept. 7, 2023
HERO UPDATES – TANKS
This makes perfect sense, as there’s a real skill involved with chucking Queen’s knife. And if we’ve learned anything from the Overwatch patch notes recently, it’s that skill shots get results.
Cooldown begins when the ability is activated instead of when it ends.
Cooldown increased from 12 to 16.5 seconds.
Overhealth bonus decreased from 125 to 100.
Considering just now unkillable Orisa has been recently we cannot be shocked at a balance nerf. That cooldown increase is real, but simply means that Orisa will need to choose between using her Golden Form to be aggressive or to defend–not both.
Haha, who okayed this change? Funny enough, this one balance update takes Zarya from a weird, situational pick to one of the best in the game. Dive Heroes now get a significant boost from Zarya’s bubble, and it comes back quicker. And in a world where beam weapons are showing more and more value this just makes Zarya all the better.
Good! Reloading as Ashe has always been one of the most awful feelings in the world. Hiding or standing back in the shadows, hoping nobody notices you shoving shells into your gun before you get killed. It’s a small change, but a big quality of life boost.
Bzzzrt. Whooooopo, whooooooopo, mrzzzzrrrrrrrtt. Beep. Blorp. Grrrrrrrrzt. Wrmrmrmrmrmrmmmmmmm.
Mei’s damage feels paltry compared to other damage Heroes, but for good reason. She quickly snowballs (haha) into the territory of being broken with each positive adjustment. That said, this makes her less of a wall bot and more of an active threat to the Genjis of the world.
An overall healing decrease for Bap isn’t a shock given how effective he is when at work. Given his increase of playtime across the board as of late this seems to balance out his ability to save Burst as an “oh crap” button.
We did it! The good Heroes is now even better!
Overwatch patch notes – Aug. 24, 2023
Projectile Impact and explosion are now blocked by barriers.
Projectile size decreased from 1.5 to 0.75 meters.
Sunstruck duration decreased from 7 to 6 seconds.
Well, here’s your pre-Overwatch League nerf patch for Illari. Honestly, the changes are fine and, in this instance, making the Captive Sun projectile smaller is a buff. All of this seems fair.
Overwatch patch notes – Aug. 10, 2023
![](https://esports.gg/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.esports.gg%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F08%2FOVR_Press_H39Illari_006-1024x576.png&w=3840&q=75)
Illari joins Overwatch
We will have a more complete breakdown and guide a bit later in the week on the newest Overwatch Support, Illari. Her explosive kit and powerful off-healing turret allow the solar warrior the flexibility to deal damage while not leaving her team high and dry like so many Reddit Lucios.
Here’s the list of her abilities.
Solar Rifle (Primary Fire)
Long-range auto-charging rifle.
Solar Rifle (Secondary Fire)
Healing Pylon (Ability 2)
Flashpoint PVP mode added
![Overwatch 2 Flashpoint Suravasa map screenshot (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)](https://esports.gg/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.esports.gg%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F07%2Fimage-39-6-1024x571.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Overwatch 2 Flashpoint Suravasa map screenshot (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
We’ve talked about Flashpoint on the site before, but now the massively map-bearing mode is here for one and all. This five-on-five mode of King of the Hill has a distinct Overwatch feel. Check back in later in the week for our guide on how to manage the daunting new mode.
Tank changes
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The change to Eject Mech is a long time coming. After all, there’s nothing more annoying as a DVA player than working hard to get your Evangelion back, only to have it stolen from you by happenstance. Or Hanzo. Same thing. A good change!
The Seismic Slam cooldown change puts him back in line with the other dive tanks, in regards to movement. One second may not seem like a lot, but it’s usually the difference between Doom getting back out or Doom dying in the backline.
Like we said last patch, Orisa is in this new cycle of getting nerfed, then buffed over and over. It looks as if we’re still in the ‘buff’ portion of the cycle. While the damage falloff is real, Fortify continues to be amazing and takes back its crown as the best defensive button in the game.
Annihilation is still one of, if not the best Ultimate in the game. A slight cost increase won’t change that.
I’m sure these numbers matter to someone, but it isn’t me. Just the weird back and forth finetuning that comes with each patch.
DPS changes
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Maximum explosion damage falloff reduced from 70% to 50%.
Detonation time reduced from 0.5 to 0.35 seconds.
Recoil adjusted to recover more quickly.
Projectile size increased from 0.2 to 0.25.
Impact damage increased from 15 to 30.
Transforming into Configuration Assault now repairs 50 armor health.
I assume the nonstop Bastion buffs are someone from Blizzard apologizing for him being unplayable for six years. Well, not anymore. Bastion just jumped up the ranks of the DPS tier list, gaining significant buffs. The grenade is better and snappier, he gets armor for turning into a turret, and his Ultimate tracks faster.
Speaking of Heroes stuck in a balance cycle, Cassidy joins Orisa in a never-ending back-and-forth. Once more the cowboy’s health is raised and the falloff range changes. Nonstop. Much like war, Cassidy buffs never change and they’re constant, like gravity.
Hey, remember when they said they were going to nerf Hanzo? Haha. Good times.
Given she’s getting a full rework next season I’m surprised Sombra got any changes at all. However, the Ultimate cost change is… Something, I guess. Shrug. I still hate playing against her. Also, we love a Lifeweaver buff.
Speaking of Heroes who got buffed a bit too much. Whoo boy, has it been a good year for Soldier players. These two small changes aren’t going to make a bit of difference in his effectiveness, but it’s the thought that counts.
More changes stemming from the damage reduction to his turret from the last patch. Small tweaks, but as a Torb player I can say that they’ll be noticeable. And, hey: Everyone loves a faster Forge Hammer.
Support changes
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This only looks like a nerf if you don’t read the fine print. In essence, this will make hip-fire shots with Ana far easier. Considering this is the most effective way to main tank heal I’ll consider it a massive win.
Brig is good. Too good. And while these changes don’t look like a lot, they are at least an acknowledgment of said goodness. Good.
Damage increased from 40 to 45.
Recovery time reduced from 0.55 to 0.5 seconds.
Critical damage multiplier reduced from 3 to 2.5x.
Strange changes for Kiriko on both the offensive and defensive side of things. The Suzu change to provide a heal upon cleansing is neat. Meanwhile, the Kunai changes will hopefully make her less of an annoying chase-down Hero in my Quick Play games. Overwatch patch notes giveth and taketh away.
Truly, I do not know why they felt the need to buff Lifeweaver. The last patch saw massive changes, and despite that fact his play rates must still be down. But, hey: As someone who loves playing him and thinks he’s one of the best healers in the game, I guess we’ll take it. Especially nasty is Tree of Life’s Overhealth change. Just truly and potentially busted.
I don’t play Lucio because I’m not a degenerate, but one of my teammates says this is huge. I guess I’ll believe him.
After all the hand-wringing and crying on forums from the annoying fans of Overwatch comes the big change they waited for all season. Yes, that’s right: A whole five percent damage boost reduction. Amazing. Now be quiet and boost that Illari like a good boy or girl.
Overwatch patch notes – July 11, 2023
Tank changes
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Orisa has felt more and more fragile with every patch since Overwatch 2. A lot of this has to do with the fact that she was near-unstoppable for a long time. The advent of Sombra buffs plus a number of Heroes getting direct counters to her Ultimate didn’t help. This increase in sturdiness feels appropriate.
The physics on the Vortex projectile always feel wonky. This set of Overwatch patch notes looks to rectify this issue and make it a bit easier to deploy. I don’t think any Ram mains will take issue.
Up, down, up, down. The health of Rein’s shield must be one of the most adjusted numbers in the game’s history. This should help Rein hang in the fight a bit longer. Bigger DPS numbers have led to his shield feeling like the cardboard that comprises his most recent premium skin.
A Wrecking Ball buff? Are we sure? Is it my birthday? This isn’t so much of a buff as it is a quality of life change. Most Hammond players only ever reload from being in Ball form. Still, this is nice.
DPS changes
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I’m not sure Sojourn needed to be made better. However, this will make her gun feel less like a guess when it comes to the spread.
Soldier is a tough Hero to balance. He either feels dominant at certain levels or you don’t see him chosen at all. These changes will allow him to stay in the box a bit longer and maintain a certain level of DPS over time. Pharah’s beware.
Damage per second reduced from 40 to 25.
Turrets now reveal enemy heroes to allies while dealing damage and for 1 additional second afterwards.
Well, speaking of buffs nobody asked for but will gladly take. This change makes Sym not only a much stronger shield counter, but also gives her some solid utility against Sombra while not being game-ruining. The enemy reveal from the turret gives some interesting and added utility.
Did Torb’s Turret need a nerf? It’s never felt like that big of a problem, but certainly feels like a stealth Tracer/Genji/Pharah buff. That increase on the cooldown is especially brutal. However, a tighter shotgun spread and an instant reload on Overload is a fair and interesting trade.
Support changes
![Zenyatta in Overwatch 2 (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)](https://esports.gg/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.esports.gg%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2Fimage-25-19-1024x576.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Zenyatta in Overwatch 2 (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
We knew the Discord Orb nerf was coming, but I think most of us thought it would be to the damage. Instead, this will force Zen players to not only be more selective, but play heads-up in regards to how often they switch Orb targets. Honestly, it’s a fine change.
Overwatch patch notes – June 28, 2023
DPS changes
I think we all saw this change coming. The new MagNade ability for everyone’s favorite cowboy is amazingly strong. While I’m not sure how much these changes will tone it down, it is something to keep in mind.
I think what we’re learning here is that the Blizzard devs didn’t realize just how much folks prefer damage over crowd control. While the slow amount changes will most likely be unnoticable, the primary fire damage increase is a smart swap.
Support changes
Sure, yeah. Great. Keep buffing him. We love to see it.
Overwatch patch notes – June 13, 2023
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Get your D20s ready, because the Dungeons & Dragons-themed Season 5 is here! Along with a new battle pass comes some major updates to Mei, Lifeweaver, Widowmaker, Cassidy, and even… uh… Roadhog?
Are we sure? Huh. Well, I guess they couldn’t nerf him any further.
General Updates
Fire returns to highlight your incredible plays with these new features:
New State: BLAZING – What’s better than being On Fire? Being even more On Fire! A team’s most exceptional playmakers will now begin Blazing. Blazing cannot be maintained as easily as regular Fire, so you’ll need outstanding play to keep the heat on.
Reignited Visuals and Sound Effects – Fire returns to the hero portrait and the scoreboard with new animations. Fire makes its debut in the kill feed as well.
Catching Fire – Killing enemies that are On Fire grants Fire.
Fan the Flames – The Fire has spread to more than just Genji players. Beyond eliminations and damage, Fire comes from mitigated damage, saves, healing, assists, capturing/contesting objectives, boosted damage, and crowd control. Pay attention to which heroes on your team are On Fire and help them out to increase your Fire score.
Tank changes
There was going to be an inevitable slight-debuffing for our resident Giant Woman. However, all of these feel like needed and important changes to keep JQ from feeling too overbearing. The increase in Ultimate cost is especially important, given that even just using Rampage gives her a ton of charge.
Well, if Hog can’t kill anyone else in one hit then I guess nobody should be able to do the same to him. While not a rework, this makes an already stout boi perhaps one of the most unkillable tanks in the game.
Which, you know, is at least one reason to pick him now.
DPS changes
No longer has a maximum projectile travel range of 10 meters.
The projectile now magnetizes toward an enemy target from 1.5 meters away and chases them for up to 1 second.
Impact damage increased from 0 to 10.
Explosion damage reduced from 120 to 70.
Stuck targets now have their movement slowed by 30%.
Stuck targets are now affected by a “Hindered” status effect, interrupting and preventing movement abilities from being activated.
This takes MagNade from being a kill-confirming ability to almost a zoning skill. The most interesting aspect of the change is its removal of the travel range, which essentially makes it a full-on homing missile–at least for one second. This also seems like a newfound way to keep Tracer and Genji off your butts.
I won’t lie: If you had asked me if enemies can see when they’re hit with Sonic Arrow I would have said “yes.” Maybe I’m playing too much VALORANT these days. Either way, smart changes abound here and helps players from being Hanzo’ed as often.
Damage per second reduced from 100 to 55.
Primary fire slow is no longer always 40% and now scales from 30-50%.
Primary fire impacts now build up to a slowing effect that sticks to the enemy target for 1.5 seconds and slows them for 75%.
Secondary fire impacts can detonate this new slow effect, dealing an additional 40 damage.
Huh. Well, that’s certainly a change. Once the complete bain of dive Heroes and tanks alike, it looks like meat’s back on the menu for Mei players. Her newfound “exploding” slow is going to be a supreme pain for the likes of Doomfist, Ball, and Dva.
Can no longer be activated while affected by mobility-locking effects (Magnetic Grenade, Steel Trap, Graviton Surge, etc.).
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The developers claim this is a bug fix, but I feel like we’ve already gone down this road before. Regardless, this is a DPS nerf for Tracer and probably one that she needed, no matter how minor.
It appears the Widowmaker Era is over. Both changes are a massive nerf to her ability to dominate a match single-handedly. It also means that good Widow players will be the ones who can stand in the fire and find targets while under pressure. A much needed–and welcome–change.
Support changes
Damage per projectile increased from 5 to 6.
Projectile radius increased from 0.1 to 0.125.
Ammo increased from 60 to 70.
Well, someone just became one of the best healers in the game. Leave it to Blizzard to overtune underperforming Heroes to the point of being in the meta. Don’t get me wrong, all of these changes were needed to make Wifeleaver feel dynamic. Especially important is that Life Grip cooldown reduction.
Maybe now we’ll see him in Overwatch League matches.
Can no longer be activated while affected by mobility-locking effects (Magnetic Grenade, Steel Trap, Graviton Surge, etc.).
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Overwatch patch notes – May 9, 2023
Your season 4 midseason update is here! And boy howdy, does it have a number of big changes. The biggest of which is that not only is Junker Queen good now, but she may be in the top tier of tanks. Let’s look at all the notes and give you some commentary along the way.
Tank changes
JUNKER QUEEN
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ScattergunMaximum ammo increased from 6 to 8
Jagged BladeProjectile size increased from 0.15 to 0.20 meters
RampageNow deals 40 impact damageWound damage decreased from 100 to 60
Adrenaline RushAdrenaline passive healing multiplier increased from 1.25 to 2x damage dealt by wounds
Hoo, boy. The biggest problem with Junker Queen to date was that her self-healing wasn’t enough to keep her alive. At least not in the way that the likes of Wrecking Ball, Sigma, or even Doomfist could self-sustain. Well, that’s not a problem anymore! Her self-healing got a major boost, along with a sizable DPS buff via an ammo increase and a bigger Jagged Blade.
Hope you’re ready to see more Junker Queen in your games. But, hey: We do love a giant woman.
ORISA
It’s nice to see the ole’ horse girl get something after multiple patches in a row of Orisa nerfs.
WINSTON
WRECKING BALL
Honestly, this is fine. Wrecking Ball still remains the most durable tank in Overwatch and this won’t change that fact. However, it does mean that Ball players will need to be more aware of their shield and use it in better positions.
DPS changes
![The legendary Good Fortune Kkachi Echo skin in Overwatch 2 (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)](https://esports.gg/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.esports.gg%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F01%2FThe-legendary-Good-Fortune-Kkachi-Echo-skin-in-Overwatch-2-1024x576.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The legendary Good Fortune Kkachi Echo skin in Overwatch 2 (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
ECHO
I’m not sure Echo needed any more help. But this does mean that she’ll get to Dupe far more but that she’ll have to be pickier and the when and where of it all. It can sometimes be hard to get your full Ultimate meter while Duplicated, so be smart out there and only dupe Roadhog!
JUNKRAT
Oh. Good. Junkrat buffs. Pardon me while I go projectile vomit.
Support changes
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ANA
Given Ana’s ability to burst heal big HP targets this feels like a way to bring her back down to earth. As an Ana main I’ll miss the ability to take the likes of D.va from 10 HP to full in a matter of seconds. This doesn’t hurt her overall effectiveness, but this does mean you’ll need to focus a healing target while ‘nade is up.
BAPTISTE
A small change, but one that is welcome. Lamp is still one of the best non-Ultimate abilities in the game and getting it two seconds faster is just dandy.
KIRIKO
This seems like a non-change, but this will actually allow Kiriko to reload-cancel with her melee akin to Ana. Which is to say, this is a major buff to her damage and a welcome addition.
WIFELEAVER LIFEWEAVER
Well, that’s not the change I thought we’d see for the new boy. However, Rein players everywhere should rejoice at their Earthshatters no longer being ruined.
Overwatch 2 patch notes – April 25, 2023
Here is your “Hey, we’re fixing Lifeweaver!” update.
Lifeweaver changes
Lifeweaver’s Controls & Options have been changed, with a new default control scheme added:
Rejuvenating Dash has been moved from Ability 1 to Jump while in the air
Petal Platform has been moved from Secondary Fire to Ability 1
Petal Platform can now be manually destroyed with the Ability 1 input
Secondary Fire will now automatically swap to the Thorn Volley weapon and fire it, and while Thorn Volley is equipped, Primary Fire will weapon swap back to Healing Blossom and begin charging
Added a new Hero Option: “Use Manual Weapon Swap Control Scheme” which reenables the original control scheme for swapping weapons and changes the Rejuvenating Dash and Petal Platform ability assignments
Added a new Hero Option: “Interact Cancels Petal Platform” which reenables using the Interact input to destroy the Petal Platform and disables the Ability 1 input from destroying it
Diverged the Healing Blossom and Life Grip targeting sensitivity options so that they can be adjusted separately
Projectile Size reduced from .125 to .1
Spread pattern adjusted, with random spread reduced. 1 of the 2 projectiles per shot now fires closer to the crosshair
It will be interesting to see if this moves Lifeweaver from the “fine, but difficult” category and into being overpowered. We’ll come back later this week with a piece on whether or not that has, in fact, occurred.
Overwatch 2 patch notes – April 11, 2023
The start of Season 4 is here! With it comes a new Support Hero in Lifeweaver, a number of new challenges and events, and most of all: Some major, meta-upending patch notes. Oh boy. Time to tear into this thing.
New Hero – Lifeweaver
Tank changes
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This may seem like a strange change and maybe a nerf. However, an increase in base health is never a bad thing in a world where Sombra continues to gather power. 600 HP is still a big number for a big man with a big hammer.
Blizzard doesn’t like tanks getting one-shot kill combos, apparently. This change does remove a lot of Sigma’s ability to deal with dive Heroes such as Genji. However, the ability to kill anyone with 200 HP with one cooldown and a single click as a Tank was maybe a bit much. The stun duration is a nice change, even if it feels like a bad omen of stun creeping back into the game.
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The base health change for our resident cowboy is far more surprising than the Mag Nade change. Magnetic Grenade is very good and, with a single body shot, currently allowed Cassidy to OHK 200 HP Heroes. Tracer and Widow will still need to fear him, but everyone else will be on a more fair footing against Cassidy.
What else is there to say? After massively nerfing Sombra at the start of Overwatch 2 she’s now gained power in three straight patches. Additionally, she is now a hard and direct counter to more Ultimates than anyone else in the game. Guess they had to give her something, given that Brig now has her stun back.
Support changes
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Brigitte now gains 100 restorable armor health pool for the duration of Rally
Brigitte no longer gradually builds temporary health like her nearby allies
Rally now upgrades her Barrier Shield, increasing both its size and health
Barrier health increased from 300 to 750 during the ultimate
During Rally, Shield Bash now impacts multiple enemies and briefly stuns them
Bonus movement speed reduced from 30 to 15%
Hey, did you like Overwatch in 2018? No? Well, we have bad news. Removed at the advent of 5v5 along with most other stuns, Brig’s Shield Bash stun removal was a major nerf. Since then she’s struggled to find a place in the meta other than “that Hero you pick against Genji.” However, this massive change to Rally may be a bit too far in the opposite direction. She now possesses an AOE stun while also giving her team mobile cover.
Be prepared to see a lot of Brigitte in your games starting next week.
Fair. I don’t have to like it as an Ana main, but I get the point. Tanks need to not feel impotent, as to protect their fragile egos. The change makes perfect sense. Carry on.
Cooldown reduced from 2.5 to 1.5 seconds
Jump and Crouch cancel active ability state duration increased from 1.0 to 1.5 seconds
The Jump and Crouch cancel active ability state can no longer be manually interrupted to begin the cooldown early
WHY DO WE KEEP BUFFING MOIRA? I hate to yell, but who at Blizzard thinks that Moira needs any more incentive to jump into the enemy backline in my Quick Play games? I assume at this point that the mid-season patch is just going to give her back the ability to Fade out of Rein charge at this point.
Overwatch 2 patch notes – Mar. 7, 2023
One Punch Man is here! Along with the first major collaboration event in the history of Overwatch comes a new set of patch notes to comb through. This time around is mostly smaller adjustments, so buffs for Sombra, Road Hog, and Hanzo are on the table. Let’s take a look.
Tank changes
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Well, I picked a great time to start playing Sombra, huh? Terra Surge has felt more than a bit overwhelming since its introduction in the fall. Added with the fact that Sombra has lost much of her former power, it makes sense to put the two together. Expect to see some Orisa hard-counter switching coming to a Quick Play match near you.
This is a workaround and quality of life change, doing for players what they were already doing themselves. Now Matt mains don’t have to shift out of Chad Mode before hitting Q to get their armor bonus.
Poor Roadhog. he gets jerked around almost as much as he jerks enemy players into that hole on Illios. However, these two changes are warranted given that a hit Hook is no longer a guaranteed death sentence.
Added the hero-specific option “Relative aim sensitivity while rolling”
Added the hero-specific option “Relative gyro sensitivity while rolling” (Nintendo Switch™ Platform Only)
Well, that Minefield buff didn’t last long. As usual, I completely understand that Wrecking Ball can feel downright oppressive if tuned too far. That said, the timeout indicator for his Grappling Claw is a much-welcome addition.
Rejoice, all 12 of you Zarya mains. Blizzard remembered that you exist.
DPS changes
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Hey, someone got B.O.B. some ADD medication. In the past, Ashe’s robot man-servant tended to aim wherever he pleased. With this change you can now direct traffic a bit better. Now if they’d only let me play as B.O.B. Sigh. Perchance, to dream.
I mean… Did Hanzo need a buff? C’mon.
An animation change meant to help both the caster and those who may eat Blizzard. Not much to see here.
I mean, all the cool kids these days seem to play Pharah by just running around on the ground. But if that isn’t your style then this change should make her feel a bit more responsive when securing the skies.
A nerf in the weirdest of ways. Too many men out here complaining about the width of their waifu’s torsos.
Support changes
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Honestly, a solid change. Immortality Field has a huge cooldown and it often feels real bad to watch it get blown up and see your team all die at once. While not a major change, this goes a long way to letting Baptiste players feel like they are doing something good and cool.
Overwatch 2 patch notes – Feb. 21, 2023
Blizzard has teased in developer blogs for months that the Overwatch 2 Season 3 patch would bring about a ton of Hero tuning. Well, they weren’t lying, as this patch tweaks and modifiers nearly half the roster. In addition to making Ramattra and his Annihilation Ultimate feel a bit less oppressive, a surprise Mercy buff may turn her into one of the best clutch healers around.
Overwatch 2 Season 3 patch Tank changes
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Considering one of the Queen’s biggest drawbacks is survivability it’s hard to turn down a bit more health.
Orisa struggles to look up and deal with floaters and fliers. This change should help her contend with the occasional annoying Pharah and Echo while also being able to pressure snipers.
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Damaging enemies with the ultimate now slows the duration timer down instead of pausing it entirely. Lasts up to 20 seconds
Ultimate cost increased 12%
Ole’ Matt needed a bit of tuning, especially when it came to his Ultimate and overtime. Annihilation, much like Wrecking Ball’s old spin-to-win, felt a little bit too insurmountable. The time cap will keep the feel of the ability while not making it a surefire way to finish a drawn-out encounter.
Direct hit damage reduced from 250 to 170
Knockdown duration increased from 2.5 to 2.75 seconds
Ultimate cost increased 7%
All good news for Rein fans, considering the Hero has struggled against a faster, more in-your-face meta. The big stealth buff here is the knockback impulse reduction, which will make it less likely to knock targets away while swinging.
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THE LONG AWAITED DAY IS FINALLY HERE. Folks, this editor is supremely excited for Wrecking Ball to finally get any positive changes, as it feels like it’s been a lifetime. While Hammond is still one of the top-tier tanks in Overwatch 2 Season 3 already, these tweaks will allow him to let out even more pent-up aggression than before. After all, it’s always time for flapjacks.
Who hates Winston at Blizzard?
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Well, he may not be able to kill anyone anymore, but at least he’ll have his Ultimate for longer. That’s nice.
The Zarya nerfs will continue until morale improves.
Season 3 DPS changes
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Not getting stuck against a wall by a tank when rolling is a bonus. Likewise, the damage range falloff will allow Cassidy to contend pressure on sniping targets in ways he couldn’t before.
This will require Junkrat to be more accurate than usual–a completely foreign concept to Junkrat mains.
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MORE ULTS. AND LESS ULTS.
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If you don’t play VALORANT than Soldier’s gun recoil must feel absolutely oppressive. This should help players pew-pew a bit better.
Honestly, the last few Sombra nerfs probably brought her down a few too many pegs. The damage increase, while small, at least means more consistent damage.
A good Turret location can absolutely feel like a 6-on-5 encounter, so the health change should make it feel a little less lop-sided to take on Torb.
Probably the most important change of the patch for DPS, Widowmaker play has gotten widespread as of late. The reversion of the health change is a good idea and will help keep the one-shot sniper in check when taking chip damage.
Season 3 Support changes
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New Passive: “Sympathetic Recovery”
One of the biggest issues with playing Mercy is that you’ve always had to work harder than other support players to get the same results. Not only do these changes make Mercy a clutch critical damage healer, but the change to her recovery during the Valkyrie Ultimate makes her almost unkillable if she’s healing. Expect to see more Mercy play this season.
I’m guessing the same person at Blizzard who hates Winston is also a Zenyatta stan, giving him this absolutely unnecessary but very acceptable buff.
This is probably fair, given Bio Nade is one of the best abilities in Overwatch 2 and will continue to be in Season 3.
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Brigitte’s Winter Wonderland Overwatch patch notes (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
A Brig rework is rumored to be coming, so perhaps these small changes will tide hungry fans over. The instant-heal on Repair Pack is a nice change, especially given how it can be easy to feel like you’re always out of Packs.
For the full notes check out the Blizzard patch notes page.
And keep watch on Esports.gg for more news when the Overwatch 2 Season 3 patch goes live tomorrow.
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