Overwatch 2 Season 13 Making Changes to Competitive Play and Matchmaking

Overwatch 2 Season 13 Making Changes to Competitive Play and Matchmaking

Key Takeaways

  • Competitive Play matchmaking is being adjusted for shorter queue times in Season 13.
  • Role Delta tech has been upgraded to match Tank players closely in skill.
  • A top 500 requirement has been added: Win 750 games in Competitive Play.

As a battle-hardened Overwatch veteran with more hours logged than I care to admit, the latest update on Season 13 has me both excited and a bit apprehensive. The shorter queue times for Competitive Play are certainly welcome, as waiting for that perfect match can often feel like waiting for a pharah’s rocket to hit its mark.


In Overwatch 2’s Season 13 debut, Blizzard outlined some significant adjustments to the competitive play and matchmaking systems. Notably, while there won’t be a new hero introduced in Season 13, Overwatch 2 promises numerous multiplayer enhancements, the yearly Halloween Terror event, and many additional features.

With Season 12 of Overwatch 2 nearing its end, Blizzard has officially announced that Season 13: Spellbinder is set to debut on Tuesday, October 15. Similar to past seasons, Season 13 will introduce its own Battle Pass and fresh game modes and events, such as a partnership with the well-known My Hero Academia anime series. Upon the season’s commencement, players can jump right into the Halloween Terror event, which continues until Monday, November 4. The start of Season 13 will also coincide with numerous enhancements and tweaks to the assortment of game modes in Overwatch 2.

In Season 13 of Overwatch 2, Blizzard plans to make several adjustments to the competitive matchmaking system to improve the experience for friends grouping up. The matchmaking process has been fine-tuned to prioritize quicker queue times. Additionally, the development team has enhanced the Role Delta technology to ensure that Tank players are matched more closely in skill when playing against one another in Competitive Play. This modification aims to create a more level playing field for those who prefer playing as a Tank.

Competitive Play and Matchmaking Changes in Overwatch Season 13

  • Competitive Play matchmaking has been tuned for shorter queue times.
  • Overwatch 2’s Role Delta tech has been upgraded to match Tank players against each other more closely in skill.
  • Higher ranked matches now take grouping into account
  • Modifiers related to MMR decay have been tuned down.
  • A Seasoned Competitor lifetime challenge must be completed to enter the Top 500.

Based on analysis of Competitive Play data and player input, Blizzard has observed that pre-made teams often enjoy a significant edge over solo players in Overwatch 2. To address this issue, during Season 13, higher-tier matches will factor group compositions when forming games. Additionally, several modifications linked to MMR (matchmaking rating) decay have been adjusted to make it more challenging for new accounts to climb the rankings unfairly into the Top 500 without unduly penalizing veteran players who have consistently engaged in Competitive Play.

To qualify for the Top 500 in Overwatch 2, players must accomplish a lifetime challenge called Seasoned Competitor. This challenge involves winning 750 matches in the Competitive Play mode, and once achieved, it allows a player to appear on any season’s leaderboard. In addition, Blizzard has decided to lower the number of games required per role in a single season to 25, which should alleviate some pressure felt by players concerning gameplay during a season.

Patch notes for Overwatch 2 Season 13 will be available on October 15 with more details on the changes that have been made to Competitive Play and matchmaking. Blizzard is expected to give fans an update on the new My Hero Academia collaboration sometime soon within the season as well.

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2024-10-14 23:23