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On April 22nd, Tuesday, anticipation is high for Overwatch 2, as Blizzard’s action-packed shooter game is gearing up to make a grand entrance with a host of new elements. As we approach the conclusion of Season 15, we’ve already seen the introduction of Perks, ranked 6v6 Open Queue, and an exciting partnership with South Korean K-pop group LE SSERAFIM. In addition to balance adjustments, a rare Zenyatta skin, and a time-limited trial for Freja, the upcoming damage hero, there’s a wealth of content to explore.

Ever since Overwatch 2 was released in 2023, Blizzard has been consistently adding features, contributing significantly to its ‘2’ moniker. Specifically, maintaining the 6v6 format during Season 16 is a major triumph for players who enjoy having an additional teammate on the battlefield. Moreover, this season promises a flurry of exciting novelties, such as a new competitive mode called Stadium, a fresh playable character, and more.

Every Major Feature Coming in Overwatch 2 Season 16

Stadium Mode Comes to Overwatch 2 On April 22

The highly anticipated aspect of Overwatch 2 could well be its Stadium mode, scheduled to launch on April 22 and exclusively available in Competitive play. With a best-of-seven structure, each game is projected to run approximately 40 minutes long. A sneak peek at Stadium will be unveiled on the PlayOverwatch YouTube channel on April 14. However, details from the February Spotlight event have already confirmed that the mode will encompass all of the following:

At least 17 heroes at launch, with more to follow.
A Competitive ranking system that is separate from other modes.
The option to play Overwatch 2 Stadium in third-person.
Selectable mod customizations and upgrades.
Altered versions of existing symmetric maps, in addition to new maps.

Overwatch 2 Will Keep 6v6 Open Queue in Season 16

6v6 game mode in “Overwatch 2” was the third most played game mode during Season 15 until the April Fool’s joke, ‘Totally Normalwatch’, was introduced. Data gathered by Blizzard throughout Season 15 shows that on average, there are three times more players opting for the 5v5 competitive mode compared to the 6v6 competitive one. However, 6v6 has consistently held player interest. Therefore, “Overwatch 2” will continue testing 6v6, with the 6v6 Open Queue remaining in Season 16.

Hero Bans Make Their Debut in Overwatch 2

In an interview with Games Radar, Game Director Aaron Keller shared that the team had been discussing hero bans for quite some time, yet faced resistance. However, witnessing hero bans in Marvel Rivals made them realize their earlier concerns were valid but overemphasized. Keller further explained that Blizzard was planning to implement hero bans regardless, but they are now more confident about its launch. Hero bans in Overwatch 2 will have three slots to ban heroes based on a priority system. Once all players have made their selections, the four heroes with the most votes will be banned from the game.

Map voting is also in development but will not be released in tandem with Season 16.

Overwatch 2 is Adding Its 43rd Character

In the upcoming version of Overwatch 2, Freja, a character specializing in causing damage, is set to join the expanding roster. This follows the release of Hazard during Season 14. Since its launch, Freja is the third Damage Per Second (DPS) character added to the game. Previously an Overwatch operative for search and rescue missions, Freja now works as a bounty hunter. She wields a potent crossbow and boasts impressive mobility options. Although Blizzard doesn’t adjust characters based on Quick Play data, her performance during testing shows a lower win rate of approximately 43%. Consequently, she is expected to debut with some buffs to improve her performance in the following areas:

Revdraw Crossbow will now fire 12 shots before reaching max spread (up from the original 8).
Ultimate damage over time and radius increased.
Players can now bind Quick Dash to Double Jump.

Overwatch 2 Season 16 Embraces Magical Girl Vibes with Dokiwatch

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I can’t contain my excitement about the revelation at the Overwatch Spotlight Event in February. The announcement of a mahou shoujo-inspired battle pass for Season 16 has truly ignited a spark in me! The name, Dokiwatch, pays homage to the magical girl genre with its glamorous and enchanting connotations. This season promises some exceptional in-game cosmetics for characters such as Brigitte, D.Va, Freja, Kiriko, and Widowmaker, leaving me eagerly anticipating their transformation.

At the beginning of the new season, Juno, our latest support character, will get a unique and enchanted Mythic skin that can be tailored to your preference. You’ll need approximately 80 Mythic Prisms to acquire all four levels of this skin. Meanwhile, during the midseason update, Mercy is set to receive a Mythic Weapon. This upgrade will come with exclusive Sound, Reactivity, and Kill Effects.

Perk Adjustments Arriving in Overwatch 2 Season 16

In summary, Blizzard is keeping a close eye on how the Perks influence their Player vs Player (PvP) modes within Overwatch. During the midseason update of Season 15, several Perks were fine-tuned, and similar adjustments are anticipated for Season 16. For example, one of Sombra’s significant Perks, Stack Overflow, will be swapped out for Viral Replication in Season 16, enabling her Virus to infect nearby enemies with it.

Mercy’s Minor Ability gets an upgrade, swapping out Angelic Recovery for Angelic Resurrection. With this new feature, Mercy will receive 100 extra health whenever she uses the Resurrect ability, a change that could significantly impact gameplay when combined with her Super Jump. As for Juno, one of her Major Abilities is being adjusted: Hyper Boost is being replaced by Locked On. This upgrade allows for reduced Pulsar Torpedoes cooldown whenever an enemy is hit, offering a strategic advantage in combat.

It seems that Blizzard may be suggesting modifications to Tracer’s rapid-reset of her triple-blink ability, Flashback, within her Major Perk, and potentially introducing a new ability as a new perk for Mei.

2025-04-14 22:05