Every New Feature and Addition For Overwatch 2 Season 12 Explained

As a lifelong fan of Overwatch, I must say that Season 12 has truly caught my attention. The soft rank reset and the new Group Respawn system are intriguing changes, especially considering their aim to help both beginners and veterans alike reach new heights. It’s refreshing to see Blizzard taking such active steps to improve the gameplay experience for everyone.

The eagerly awaited new support hero in Overwatch 2, named Juno, has been officially added as the 41st character in the game. Additionally, the introduction of a fresh game mode called Clash and themed cosmetics inspired by Egypt, have sparked great excitement for the game’s latest season. This season is creating quite a buzz due to its potential to revolutionize gameplay tactics in Overwatch 2.

Despite the abundance of content yet to be discovered – including new Hero Mastery courses, updated Twitch drops for Overwatch 2, and a redesigned user interface – Season 12 is shaping up to be exceptional. As the hero-shooter game continues to grow and develop, this season underscores Blizzard’s commitment to continuous innovation, with even more content expected in upcoming updates.

A Detailed Overview of Overwatch 2 Season 12

Exploring The New Frontiers Battle Pass and Mythics

Just like past seasons, a complimentary Battle Pass track is available for free-to-play users, offering 28 rewards. Meanwhile, the premium track boasts 80 tiers of unlockable content. For those who opt for the Ultimate Battle Pass bundle, priced at $39.99 USD, you’ll receive the Premium Battle Pass, a skip ahead in 20 tiers, 2000 Overwatch Coins, and the Aset Echo and Heist D.Va skins as bonus items.

Although a lot of the cosmetic items have an Egyptian theme, there are still quite a few rewards that deviate from this theme.

In the revamped Mythic system, classic skins such as Ancient Caller Moira and Grand Beast Orisa are once again up for grabs in the Mythic Shop. The Anubis Reaper skin for Reaper, which features four levels of customization, is now available for 80 Mythic prisms as part of Season 12. However, Ana’s Mythic weapon, Midnight Sun, will be introduced mid-season at an additional cost of 50 Mythic prisms. So, players might want to think carefully about how they use their currency.

Overwatch 2’s Juno Has Officially Landed

Every New Feature and Addition For Overwatch 2 Season 12 Explained

At BlizzCon 2023, Juno was unveiled under the codename “Space Ranger.” Since July, there have been hints suggesting a link between Juno and Watchpoint Gibraltar. More recent Blizzard videos have shown that she is Jiayi’s daughter, an employee of Lucheng Interstellar. Born on Mars as part of a clandestine Project Red Promise mission by her parents, Juno was relocated to Earth due to resource scarcity on the planet. It appears that her objective now is to save her home and reacquaint herself with Mei, an acquaintance of Jiayi.

Within the game, Juno represents the twelfth support character introduced. Making her debut in competitive play from day one, Juno could possibly contribute to a faster-moving meta in Overwatch 2 Season 12, but it’s premature to make definite predictions at this stage. Although her kit appears well-balanced, her utility might not rival that of heroes like Kiriko, Baptiste, Lucio, or Ana. However, with her precision attacks, Pulsar Torpedoes, and diverse mobility options, Juno is certainly an enjoyable choice to play.

World of Warcraft Targeted as Overwatch 2’s Next Collaboration

Although it hasn’t come out just yet, “World of Warcraft” is expected to be a significant crossover event for this season. In the past, Blizzard has been known to incorporate crossovers within their own intellectual properties, such as integrating “StarCraft” into the original “Overwatch” and the collaboration between “Diablo 4” in October last year. Interestingly, past collaborations have usually included around three to five new skins along with themed sprays and player icons.

It’s speculated that since Widowmaker will be getting a Sylvanas Windrunner skin, the hinted Frostmourne skin at the end of the New Frontiers Official Trailer might be intended for either Reinhardt, Junker Queen, or Genji.

Clash Mode Debuts in Both Quick and Competitive Play

In October 2023, Clash was finally introduced in Overwatch 2, following a limited-time trial in April. This new game mode comprises five objectives, designated as A through E, arranged sequentially on a symmetrical map. The objective is to secure all five points to win, but it can be tricky because getting too close to the enemy’s spawn might cause you to lose objectives. This is especially problematic if the opposing team manages to score points without venturing into your territory. As such, it can be tactical to relinquish one or two points near the enemy’s spawn in order to regain the positional advantage offered by the other objectives.

Initially, Clash introduced two battlefields: Hanaoka and Throne of Anubis. Hanaoka is supposedly situated on a road not far from Hanamura, whereas the Throne of Anubis represents an updated version of the Temple of Anubis. Interestingly, due to Horizon Lunar Colony’s significance in Juno’s family history, it could be the next remodeled Clash map.

Overwatch 2’s Latest Patch Notes

In the latest update for Overwatch 2, the health of characters in mobile, damage, and support roles has been decreased. Interestingly, several of these heroes have also seen an increase in their damaging capabilities. For instance, Moira’s secondary fire is now stronger, with each second dealing 65 damage instead of 60, and Kiriko’s damage output has been boosted to 60 from its previous 45. Notably, these changes affect the health reserves of certain heroes.

Echo
Sombra
Torbjorn
Kiriko
Mercy
Moira
Lucio
Juno

Initially, when Juno first appeared in her trial during Season 11, she boasted a health pool of 250 points. But after her formal launch, the health she had was adjusted down to 225 Hit Points (HP).

In contrast to past seasons, where bigger hitboxes were used and heroes such as Pharah could deal excessive damage through spamming, Season 12 appears to emphasize accurate shooting and high damage output instead. This change in focus might affect the gameplay style of hitscan heroes, but it’s yet to be seen how it will alter the overall meta. Keep in mind that the tank buffs from Season 11 are still playing a major role in the game, which means squishy heroes like Tracer and Lucio could potentially face harsher penalties due to increased damage output from other characters.

Even though changes have been made to D.Va’s Defense Matrix, she is still expected to make a notable difference in the game. Previously top-tier Overwatch 2 tanks such as Sigma, Winston, and Mauga are also predicted to continue being powerful figures, especially since lower-health targets have received health reductions. At present, the game’s meta seems reminiscent of Season 11, but a midseason patch might introduce considerable balance adjustments in the near future.

Overwatch 2’s Competitive Changes and Mid-Year Rank Reset

In Season 12, a soft reset system like the one used in Season 9 has been implemented along with some rank decay. This change, according to Overwatch 2’s system designer Gavin Winter, is aimed at assisting both the players who are currently at the bottom and those at the top to reach new heights. The move was made after studying the data which showed that reaching Champion 1 was becoming increasingly difficult, and there were too many players in the lowest rank. By adjusting the target rank distribution, Blizzard intends to address these problems.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed an exciting change in the game dynamics: the Group Respawn system from Quick Play has given way to the Wave Respawn system. This new system, which is also functioning in Competitive mode, ensures that my respawn time is quicker than the standard one whenever my character gets knocked out. It’s a thrilling shift that promises more action and less waiting!

Moving on, let me explain about the latest additions – Competitive Drives. These events offer rewards like Competitive Points and Signatures. Signatures are presented as decorative elements that enhance the appearance of your BattleTag. It’s crucial to mention that these can exclusively be obtained by participating in the Competitive Role Queue.

Additionally, Blizzard has increased the Block List to a maximum of fifteen users. Players are allowed to permanently block up to three accounts, while the rest result in a seven-day block. In busier or off-peak hours, or for high-ranking players, individuals on the lower end of the block list might still be assigned to your team as wait times become longer.

Sojourn Headlines Overwatch 2’s Latest Twitch Drops

In honor of Season 12’s debut, Blizzard has organized a new promotion on Twitch, running from August 21st through the 31st. By tuning into qualified Overwatch 2 broadcasters during this period, viewers can earn the following perks:

Antlers Spray (2 hours)
Coffee Player Icon (4 hours)
Usual Sojourn Voice Line (6 hours)
Latte Weapon Charm (9 hours)
Freshly Brewed Victory Pose (12 hours)
Barista Epic Sojourn Skin (15 hours)

Other Drops, such as Battle Pass Tier skips will likely be active as the season goes on.

Additional Season 12 Game Modes Include Mirrorwatch and New Hero Mastery Missions

Popular game modes such as Mirrorwatch from Season 10 and April Fools from Season 9 will be back in action during Season 12. Moreover, characters Pharah and Zarya have their own Hero Mastery courses available. From August 20th to September 3rd, players can challenge themselves on custom-designed courses for these two heroes, or replay earlier courses for D.Va, Reinhardt, Tracer, Lucio, and Mercy. Rewards for participating include unique sprays, victory poses, and Battle Pass experience points.

To begin with, it’s clear that Overwatch 2‘s Season 12 has started on a positive note. The streamlined User Interface and the inclusion of the Competitive Progress tab for Role Queue suggest that Team 4 is committed to providing players with an intuitive and enjoyable gaming experience. Although we’ll have to wait and see how the season develops, the early indications are definitely encouraging.

2024-08-23 02:36