Overwatch 2 Mid-Season 14 Update: New Modes, Mythic Skin, and Hero Changes!

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Summary

  • Overwatch 2 Season 14’s mid-update features multiple hero balance changes, new modes, and Ashe’s Mythic skin.
  • The 6v6 experiment includes the Min 1, Max 3 mode and the classic Moth Meta mode for nostalgic gameplay.
  • Players can enjoy back-to-back holiday events and limited-time competitive rewards throughout the rest of Season 14.

Classic and the second trial of 6v6. The latest patch is jam-packed with new features for players to explore and is currently live in Overwatch 2.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but share my excitement as we approach the midpoint of the extended Season 14 of Overwatch 2, which kicked off on December 10, 2024. This season introduced the formidable new Tank hero Hazard and marked the first official 6v6 experiment in the sequel shooter. With Season 15 set to commence on February 18, we’re just over halfway through this longer-than-usual season, keeping us Overwatch enthusiasts on our toes!

In the interim before the next significant upgrade, it’s been officially announced that Overwatch 2 has rolled out its mid-Season 14 refresh. The highlight of this update are the pair of 6v6 game modes: Momentum 1, Momentum 3, and the Overwatch Classic Wraith Meta. In the first mode, players can switch between one to three roles for each hero, using the same balance from the initial 6v6 trial, and this will be accessible until February 3rd. Subsequently, from February 4th until the end of Season 14, fans can revisit Overwatch Classic with the Wraith Meta, which includes Mercy’s powerful Resurrect ability, DPS Doomfist, and Symmetra’s Shield Generator.

For the remainder of Season 14, there will be continuous holiday celebrations. Currently active is the Year of the Snake event, lasting from now until February 3rd. This includes the return of Mischief & Magic, Capture the Flag, Bounty Hunter game modes, as well as in-game challenges that grant a player icon, card, spray, and Juno voice line as rewards. Following the Lunar New Year event’s conclusion, the Valentine’s Day event will take place for a span of two weeks, featuring Cupid Hanzo’s Love of Geometry game mode.

In the course of every mid-season adjustment, you’d expect a bunch of changes to hero balance in Overwatch 2. Ramattra, Echo, Tracer, and Illari were given boosts, whereas Ana, Juno, and Hazard experienced minor setbacks. However, Winston was an exception; he received more ammo and range for his Tesla Cannon, but his Ultimate now costs a bit more.

Enthusiasts of cosmetic items in Overwatch 2, the Lead Rose Mythic weapon skin designed by Ashe is now up for grabs in the Mythic Shop, offering four different unlock stages. For those eager to secure the Jade Weapon Variants scheduled for release in 2024’s competitive season, it’s advisable to act before February 18, as they will be taken off the shelves during Season 15. Lastly, the Maximilien’s Vault is a special, time-limited shop offering deep discounts on an ever-changing selection of premium cosmetics tailored to players’ collections, allowing them to acquire hard-to-find skins using their Overwatch Coins.

Overwatch 2 Mid-Season 14 Patch Notes – January 21, 2025

YEAR OF THE SNAKE SEASONAL EVENT

Join the fun in Overwatch 2 as we ring in the Lunar New Year – the Year of the Snake! This year’s festivities bring back Mischief & Magic, a unique game mode that combines strategy, stealth, and skill with both Bounty Hunter and Capture the Flag. Take on event challenges to earn special rewards, such as Lunar New Year-themed cosmetics that perfectly reflect the season’s joy and vibrancy. Don’t pass up your opportunity to outsmart, outplay, and outlast your competition!

VALENTINE’S DAY 2025

Get ready to rekindle your affection and dive back into the charm of Geometry’s Love game mode! In this exhilarating team Deathmatch, four-player teams of Cupid Hanzos face off against one another. Be cautious as ducking behind corners won’t offer much protection since all players can utilize Hanzo’s original Scatter Arrow power. This enchanting event is sure to capture your heart once more from February 4th to the 18th!

6V6 EXPERIMENTAL – MINIMUM 1, MAXIMUM 3

Delve deeper into the beginnings of Overwatch by trying out a new spin on the popular six-player team setup. The 6v6 Min 1, Max 3 Mode is an innovative test that combines nostalgia with current gameplay mechanics, providing a structured lineup while still allowing for role swaps during matches. By joining this trial, you can help mold the future of Overwatch 2’s gameplay, so don’t pass up this opportunity to make your impact!

  • Heroes are selected first come, first serve.
  • Each team must have at least one hero from all three roles, but cannot have more than three heroes from any given role.
  • Players can switch between roles while in the spawn room.
  • Hero balance for this experiment uses the same hero balance from the 6v6 2-2-2 Role Queue experiment.
  • This game mode is available to play in Unranked from January 21 to February 3.

OVERWATCH CLASSIC – MOTH META

As a gamer, diving into Overwatch Classic – Moth Meta feels like a blast from the past, transporting me back to some of the wildest moments in Overwatch history. The focus here is on Mercy’s legendary “Moth” style, where her lightning-quick Resurrects can turn the tide of any team fight. Heroes like DPS Doomfist and Symmetra with her Shield Generator are back to shake things up, making a grand comeback to the battlefield. You’ll find yourself on familiar grounds, like Oasis, Eichenwalde, and Junkertown, where every skirmish is filled with nostalgic tactics and unexpected chaos.

  • Heroes added include Ana, Sombra, Orisa, and Doomfist.
  • Maps added include Eichenwalde, Oasis, Horizon Lunar Colony, and Junkertown.
  • Hero balance is adjusted to the September 2017 Hero Balance.

NEW MYTHIC WEAPON – ASHE’S LEAD ROSE

The brand new Mythic Weapon we have is called Ashe’s Lead Rose. Raised in the Lead Rose Manor, Ashe was expected to be an impeccable daughter. However, instead of the perfect rose her parents desired, they got Ashe’s thorns. Similar to Ashe herself, this weapon boasts beauty and deadliness. As Ashe continues to express her rebellious side through eliminations, she blossoms into the person she was destined to become!

Initially, players will gain access to her basic Mythic weapon at level one. Level two grants reactivation and the Mythic HUD. The cherished flourish is unlocked at level three, allowing Ashe to mockingly throw a rose at her foes. Lastly, at level four, enemies are eliminated in an explosion of rose petals.

The latest weapon we have is called Ashe’s Lead Rose. Grown up in the Lead Rose Manor, Ashe was supposed to be a perfect daughter. But instead of a flawless rose, she grew thorns. Similar to Ashe, this weapon has beauty and power. When Ashe shows her rebellious side by getting eliminations, she grows into who she’s meant to be! Players start with the basic Mythic weapon at level one. Level two gives reactivation and the Mythic HUD. The beloved flourish is unlocked at level three – Ashe can throw a rose tauntingly at opponents. Finally, at level four, enemies are eliminated in a burst of rose petals.

COMPETITIVE UPDATES

COMPETITIVE DRIVES

  • A new Drives signature is available to earn from February 11 to February 16
  • Players can now earn up to 6,000 Competitive Points by completing Competitive Drive Stages, enough to unlock 2 Jade or Golden Weapon Variants.

COMPETITIVE REWARDS

When the year of competition in 2024 draws to a close, Season 14 represents your final opportunity to earn Competitive Points and secure Jade Weapon Variants. Once Season 14 wraps up, any remaining Competitive Points will be transformed into Legacy Competitive Points that can be used to obtain Golden Weapon Variants. Starting from Season 15, you won’t be able to collect the Jade Weapon Variants anymore.

HERO UPDATES

In my gaming world, these changes for the heroes are meant specifically for regular battles, leaving the intense 6v6 Experiment and classic Overwatch matches untouched.

TANK

Ramattra

Comment for Developers: Currently, Ramattra is not performing as well as other Brawl Tanks. To give him a needed improvement without changing his fundamental gameplay, let’s consider enhancing his armor slightly.

  • Base Armor increased from 75 to 100

Winston

Game Developer Note: The enhanced health of adversaries has affected Winston’s ability to dive. To help him effectively complete battles without frequent reloading, consider increasing the damage of the Tesla Cannon’s secondary fire and supplying additional ammo. This adjustment will empower Winston to keep attacking and finish off enemies more easily.

  • Tesla Cannon
    • Ammo increased from 100 to 120
    • Secondary fire max charge damage increased from 50 to 60
  • Primal Rage
    • Ultimate ability cost increased by 12%

Hazard

Developer Note: The mobility of our latest tank is posing a risk that’s a bit too high. To encourage caution when charging into enemy backlines, we plan to shorten the cooldown time for Violent Leap, which will force Hazard to think more strategically about his moves.

  • Violent Leap
    • Violent Leap cooldown increased from 5 to 6 seconds.

DAMAGE

Echo

Note for Developers: Due to a slight drop in Echo’s performance lately, we’re boosting the base damage of the Focusing Beam. This adjustment should help in more easily pushing enemies towards their critical health point.

  • Focusing Beam
    • Damage-per-second on targets above 50% HP increased from 50 to 75.

Tracer

Developer Note: After reducing the damage on Tracer’s Pulse Pistols, she appears less dangerous. By decreasing their spread, we can ensure that her damage output remains steady even from relatively far distances.

  • Pulse Pistols
    • Spread decreased by 15%

SUPPORT

Ana

Developer Note: Adjustments to Ana’s rifle have significantly boosted her effectiveness as a support character. Lowering the damage of her Biotic Grenade will modify some of her ability thresholds and impact her personal survivability to a small degree.

  • Biotic Grenade
    • Explosion damage and healing decreased from 90 to 75.

Illari

Developer Note: In some situations, Llari may find it challenging to heal her allies without her Healing Pylon. Boosting the maximum ammunition for her secondary weapon would enable her to offer better support to her team when she’s lacking her Healing Pylon.

  • Solar Rifle
    • Secondary Fire Maximum resource increased from 3 to 3.5 seconds.

Juno

Developer Note: The power level of Juno’s ultimate is excessive when utilized well by her teammates. Lowering its duration and damage boost will lessen its effectiveness.

  • Orbital Ray
    • Duration reduced from 10 to 8 seconds
    • Damage amplification reduced from 35% to 30%

BUG FIXES

GENERAL

  • Fixed an issue where competitive titles will sometimes unequip after a logout.

MAPS

  • Circuit Royal
    • Fixed an issue which now prevents turrets from being placed inside the sportscars.

HEROES

  • Bastion
    • Fixed in previous release, fixed an issue causing Bastion’s Ultimate to not have impact sounds or VFX.
  • Hazard
    • Fixed an issue where Hazard’s Jagged Wall projectiles would pass through certain player made objects such as Cryo-Freeze, Ice Wall, Petal Platform.
  • Sombra
    • Fixed an issue where Sombra’s EMP can sometimes fail to hit opponents if they had previously interacted with Jagged Wall.
  • Zenyatta
    • Fixed an issue causing Zenyatta to T-Pose with the “Retro Hero” emote.

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2025-01-21 23:56