Overwatch 2 is gearing up for a significant overhaul with the arrival of Season 9 tomorrow. Read on to learn more about the changes Blizzard is making in the game.
Overwatch 2 Competitive Mode Gets Major Overhaul
Placement Matches Reintroduced, Top Rank Placement Gets Ultra-Exclusive, Gameplay is Reworked
Set to debut tomorrow, Overwatch 2's Season 9: Champions update promises a slew of changes based on player feedback including a revamped Competitive mode, balance adjustments, and a fresh season theme. "Thanks in part to your feedback, we’ve updated Competitive Play," Blizzard wrote in a blog post. "We are introducing major changes to Competitive in the new season—from a new progression system to an all-new skill tier above Grand Master—as well as major gameplay changes to combat and hero survivability."
Competitive/Ranked Mode has a new progression system
Placement matches are back with a new progression system that provides players with "greater transparency in each individual match." Players' ranks will get updated after every match and progress just like in the OG Overwatch. Likewise, gains or losses between each Skill Division will be shown post-match.
"Your journey to the top begins with 10 all-new Placement Matches. With everyone’s ranks being reset, these 10 Placement Matches provides you with a high-stakes opportunity to make big gains in determining your new starting rank," wrote Blizzard.
Players will get one chance every competitive season to complete their 10 initial placement matches. As players progress through the placement matches, they will see a predicted starting rank after each match.
Champion 1
becomes top-rank placement
Starting in Season 9, a skill tier above Grand Master called "Champion" will be put in place. The new Champion rank division will serve as the ultimate accolade for the most skilled players in the game. Blizzard announced, "Even with the boosts that Placement Matches can provide, top-ranking players will still need to win a lot of games to reach Champion 1 and prove they are the best of the best."
Changes in Projectile Size, Health Pool, and Passive Abilities
In addition to the Competitive rework, Season 9 brings major adjustments to the game's core gameplay. Key changes include projectile size, health pool, and more role-passive abilities.
Projectile Size Changes
● +0.05 meters for hitscan projectiles with a high rate of fire or spread
● +0.08m meters for hitscan projectiles that are more precise
● +0.05 meters for travel time projectiles that are shotguns or have a very high rate of fire
● +0.10 meters for travel time projectiles with a speed greater than 50m/s.
● +0.15 meters for travel time projectiles with a speed less than or equal to 50m/s.
Very large projectiles with a base larger than 0.5 meters, such as Orisa's Energy Javelin and Reinhardt's Fire Strike, have been excluded from the listed increases.
Hit consistency is improved by making both damage-dealing hitscan and travel time projectiles larger. Blizzard clarified, "Heroes that have weapons or abilities that don't benefit from any projectile size changes will receive additional balance changes." Each individual hero will receive more fine-tuning over the season, according to Blizzard.
Health Pool Changes and Passive Abilities
● 150-175 HP heroes increased by 25 HP
● 200-300 HP heroes increased by 50 HP
● 300+ HP heroes increased by 75-100 HP
Each hero's Max HP will be increased, which will typically require one more hit from most heroes to eliminate an enemy. Along with the Max HP boost, all heroes will passively generate 20 health per second of not taking damage for 5 seconds.
Other role passive abilities include:
● Damage heroes: dealing damage reduces the target's healing received by 20%.
● Support heroes: Regenrate health after 2.5 seconds.
● Tank heroes: Reduces knockback received. Less Ultimate skill charge based on healing and damage received. Increased HP in Role Queue game modes.
Source:
Blizzard: REVITALIZING THE OVERWATCH 2 EXPERIENCE
RISE AS A CHAMPION IN OVERWATCH 2 — SEASON 9
Activision Blizzard is revitalising the Overwatch 2 experience
