As an Overwatch Fan With Over 1,500 Hours of Playtime, I’m Really Dreading April 14

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Each year, Overwatch consistently delivers a fantastic April Fools’ Day event, and I always wish it could last longer. It’s become a tradition for the game to release playfully ridiculous updates – now called Underwatch – complete with humorous explanations for each change from the developers. Sometimes, these silly hero abilities are inspired by what players are discussing, and other times they seem totally spontaneous. These updates are always a lot of fun, and this year’s Underwatch 2026 is no exception. Some of the highlights include:

  • Reinhardt’s pin can be sped up and slowed down while also catching multiple enemies at once, making him a menace in the mode
  • D.Va’s Micro Missiles are hilariously large
  • Domina makes random shapes instead of her usual barrier
  • Winston is unplayable
  • Sombra has become a mimic instead of teleporting via translocator
  • Cassidy’s bullets can inflict bleeding if he says hello and waves at the target
  • A second Torbjorn stacks on top of Torbjorn and mimics every action the player takes
  • Ana’s sleep dart sleeps herself, waking her up with Nano Boost
  • Lifeweaver is hilariously tiny
  • Jetpack Cat wields a wrecking ball via her lifeline that can smack targets

As a huge fan, I have to say the April Fools’ Day mode is always incredible! They pack it with so many fun abilities, and the little jokes the developers add, like teasing their “third-ever first-ever melee DPS,” just make it even better. Plus, every hero gets hilarious voice lines – Winston just saying “Winston!” is a classic, and Hanzo and Genji making dragon and sword sounds is perfect. They even added some new ones this year, like Emre making dial-up internet noises when he ults! Honestly, Underwatch is my favorite limited-time mode every year, so I’m really disappointed to hear about the next update on April 14th.

Overwatch’s Underwatch Mode is Leaving Soon, and I’m Devastated

Completing the challenges for Overwatch events can sometimes feel like work, but I’ve really enjoyed earning my Cardboard Tank title. I wish this fun game mode was a permanent option in the arcade! It’s not just the new abilities and silly voice lines that make me smile, but all the small details too. I only noticed after a few matches that the hero select screen uses Microsoft Clippy to add extra jokes about each character. And it’s great to see Reinspeak return – it changes every message a Reinhardt player types to be in all caps and include one of his quotes. This Underwatch mode is just a blast, and while it’s a fantastic way to end the excellent first season of the relaunched Overwatch, I’m already sad to see it go.

There’s now a “catspeak” feature in the game! When a Jetpack Cat uses text chat, it types out random letters, like someone walked across your keyboard.

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It’s especially disappointing that Underwatch is going away because some heroes actually feel better in that mode. For example, Wuyang’s waterbending ability can build up to create a massive wave, which is both more fun to play with and more consistent with his backstory – we see him create a huge wave in his introduction video. While some Underwatch abilities are clearly just for fun – like Mercy instantly resurrecting with a one-hit kill or Zenyatta spinning like a top – Blizzard often tests out changes in Underwatch that would be genuinely great additions to the main game. It’s exciting to get a sneak peek at potential future abilities, and that’s another reason why the recent update is so disheartening.

Overwatch Season 2’s Launch is the Silver Lining of April 14

I’m sad to see Underwatch end after another year, but it’s good news that Season 2 starts right away on April 14th! That means we’ll get to play as the new Damage hero, Sierra, and earn new skins through the battle pass. It definitely makes saying goodbye a little easier – it would have been disappointing if there was nothing new to do immediately after Underwatch ended. I’ve really enjoyed this version of the mode, especially after playing Overwatch for so long, and I’ll be looking forward to its return in 2027.

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2026-04-11 02:04