Overwatch 2’s New Patch Reworks Sombra, Adds New Map

Overwatch 2’s seventh season is upon us, and whereas a brand new battle move, new map, and the questionable Sombra rework headline the season, we’ve additionally obtained much more to unpack within the newest patch notes.

Blizzard shared the brand new patch notes on its boards on October 9, the place it outlined tweaks as large as Sombra’s rework and as small as shifting numbers up and down for different characters. Some heroes obtained nerfed, like Illari’s secondary fireplace therapeutic dropping from 120 to 105 factors per second, however extra minute modifications will likely be a web acquire for characters’ kits, like Brigitte’s Whip Shot injury growing from 70 to 80, and Wrecking Ball’s max unfold on his main fireplace growing from 20 to 38.

Meanwhile, Mei is technically getting each buffs and debuffs by reverting to an outdated construct. Her Deep Chill passive, which progressively slowed down enemies to a close to halt when she used her main fireplace, has been eliminated totally in trade for instantly slowing down enemies by 40%.

Beyond steadiness changes, a few of the modifications coming in season seven could also be fairly far-reaching for aggressive technique. The Route 66 Escort map has moved cowl round to make it extra accommodating for the attacking crew, whereas the addition of Group Respawn will group dying teammates’ spawns collectively inside a five-second window in the event that they die in fast succession. This ought to forestall uncoordinated groups from trickling in individually, and encourage coordinated play as teammates go away spawn across the identical time. Blizzard says it is going to be monitoring suggestions to see if it has the supposed outcome.

The full patch notes learn as follows:

HALLOWEEN TERROR 2023

Get prepared for the spookiest occasion of the 12 months as Overwatch 2 transforms right into a haunted battleground. Halloween Terror is again along with your favourite recreation modes—Junkenstein’s Revenge, Wrath of the Bride, and Trials of Sanctuary, a brand new Blizzard crossover recreation mode. Team up with the heroes of Sanctuary, energy up their skills, and defeat highly effective bosses, together with Butcher Roadhog, Azmodan Wrecking Ball, and Lilith Moira.

NEW MAP – SAMOA

Samoa is a brand new Control map the place you’ll battle on a tropical seaside, a gleaming metropolis, and inside a volcano! Watch out for lethal pitfalls, otherwise you may simply be swimming in lava! Samoa will likely be out there to play immediately in a devoted Arcade card and can seem in Quick Play and different unranked modes beginning on October 10 with it showing in Competitive Play later within the season.

HERO REWORK – SOMBRA

We approached the Sombra Rework by figuring out key objectives to information selections all through the design iteration course of: make Sombra extra committal when participating, improve the energetic really feel in her capability equipment, and uphold the present Hacker fantasy. With these objectives, there have been a number of angles to deal with round her current equipment. Naturally, many concepts have been additionally meant to deal with frustrations enjoying in opposition to the character, guaranteeing there’s correct counterplay for enemies.

Sombra

Machine Pistol

• Damage elevated from 7.5 to eight.
• Minimum Spread diminished from 0.5 to 0.
• Number of photographs till max unfold has been elevated from 3 to six photographs.
• Reload time diminished from 1.4 seconds to 1.2 seconds.

Hack

• Cast time diminished from 0.75 seconds to 0.65 seconds.
• Now cancels Stealth when hacking an enemy hero.
• Cooldown elevated from 4 to six seconds.
• Hack has a diminished cooldown of three seconds if Hack is interrupted or if a non-hero enemy is hacked.
• The “Hacked” warning textual content will now solely seem if you are silenced and never for the rest period of the hack debuff.

Opportunist

Stealth

• Ability reworked to be a passive. Sombra robotically turns into invisible after 3.5 seconds whereas not capturing, utilizing a dangerous capability, or receiving injury.
• Stealth motion pace bonus diminished from 60% to 45%.
• Fade Out period into Stealth diminished from 0.375 seconds to 0.25 seconds.
• Fade In period from Stealth diminished from 0.5 seconds to 0.375 seconds.
• Updated the UI messaging to the Sombra participant when hacking Health Packs to “Revealed” as an alternative of “Detected”. Now the message “Detected” is just used when an enemy participant is within the detection radius.

Virus

• This is a brand new capability assigned to Ability 1 by default.
• Fire a projectile that damages an enemy over time. Damage is dealt quicker on Hacked enemies.
• Impact Damage: 10 (20 on hacked goal).
• Damage over time: 100 over 4 seconds (100 over 2 seconds on hacked goal).

Translocator

• Can not may be manually activated. Translocator will now robotically teleport Sombra after 0.25 seconds from being thrown or when impacting the surroundings.
• Reduces the Stealth passive cooldown after teleporting.
• Projectile pace elevated from 25 to 72.
• Cooldown diminished from 6 seconds to five seconds. Cooldown now begins after Sombra teleports to the placement of the Transponder.
• Projectile launch preliminary vertical offset eliminated.

EMP

• Ultimate cost value elevated by 15%.
• Health p.c injury decreased from 40% to 30%.

GENERAL UPDATES

GROUP RESPAWN

• Heroes who die inside 5 seconds of one another will respawn collectively, leading to some gamers having both a barely longer or shorter queue than the usual 10 seconds.
• Heroes who die greater than 5 seconds from one other participant eradicated will nonetheless respawn in 10 seconds on their very own.
• These modifications don’t apply to Competitive Play mode.

Developer Comments: We assume that crew fights are a few of the most pleasant moments in our recreation, however we’ve all been in matches the place crew cohesion–or lack thereof–makes these moments a rarity. These matches typically flip into stomps for the crew that may’t group up, and stopping stomps is a excessive precedence for us. As such, this season, we’re modifying how heroes respawn for Quick Play. Heroes that die inside 5 seconds of one another will likely be respawned in a wave collectively. This signifies that respawn instances will typically change to ensure that heroes to respawn collectively. If a hero dies additional aside than 5 seconds from one other demise on their crew, they’ll nonetheless respawn in 10 seconds as they’d have up to now.

We’ll be listening carefully to suggestions on this new system, and relying on the response and making any modifications, we are going to take into account including these changes to Competitive Play in a later season.

UNRANKED LEAVER PENALTIES

• 75% XP penalty eliminated.
• The penalty thresholds haven’t modified, however the mechanics have additionally by no means been fully defined. The final 20 video games performed a participant participated in are recorded. Leaving 4 of those 20 video games prompts the primary penalty threshold. Leaving six of those 20 video games prompts the second penalty threshold.
• Queuing for many recreation modes is now suspended when a participant leaves a match inside a penalty threshold.
• Players that attain the primary penalty threshold will likely be suspended for 10 minutes.
• Players that attain the second penalty threshold will likely be suspended for half-hour.
• The queue suspension will reapply every time a participant leaves a recreation when they’re above the primary penalty threshold however not once they full their video games.
• Consecutive Match XP bonus has been renamed to Endurance Bonus.
• Endurance Bonus is XP granted when ending matches with out leaving the earlier match.

Developer Comments: Previously, if gamers left too many video games, we might apply a 75% penalty to their Battle Pass XP that’s gained. We discovered this had little or no influence on those that go away intentionally and severely impacted those that don’t have a lot time to play however need to earn the rewards in our season Battle Pass. We’re altering this to make it harder for gamers who go away video games to be disruptive whereas not making use of an excessive amount of influence to those that don’t intend on ruining the expertise for others.

STORY MISSIONS

• You can now spectate any Story Mission that your mates are enjoying when you personal the marketing campaign pack for that mission.

HERO MASTERY

Scoring Update

• Bonus rating granted from time remaining within the gold bonus tier is now correct to one-hundredth of a second. (Previously accomplished video games within the Top 500 leaderboards aren’t adjusted.)
• The person interface has been up to date to show this new time accuracy in all places that we show time and rating.

Replays

• Hero Mastery now helps replays.
• Replays are saved for any accomplished course that ends in a brand new scoring report.
• The person interface for Hero Mastery replays has been personalized to show rating, time, and different data.

PLAYER PROGRESSION

• Lowered present precedence for Time Played and Wins sub-badges within the Showcase.
• Added Virus Kills to Sombra’s sub-badge set.

Developer feedback: All heroes share the Time Played and Wins sub-badges. This change is meant to focus on every hero’s distinctive sub-badges to higher replicate particular person playstyle.

CHALLENGES

• Reduced the variety of wins required to unlock Sojourn, Junker Queen and Kiriko by Hero challenges.
• Illari is now unlockable by Hero challenges.

HERO UPDATES

TANK

Orisa

Fortify

• Damage discount decreased from 50% to 45%.

Developer Comments: We are additional readjusting Orisa’s survivability, which was initially elevated because of the armor-damage discount stacking change we made a number of patches in the past. This specific change is comparatively mild as we nonetheless need her to be an efficient choose in opposition to groups that lean on crowd management.

Ramattra

Nemesis Form

• Cooldown decreased from 8 to 7 seconds.

Developer Comments: This change lets Ramattra undertaking his affect extra continuously with Nemesis Form, which interprets into elevated survivability and injury. The flexibility additionally makes it much less punishing if he swaps again to Omnic Form early to make use of the Void Barrier.

Wrecking Ball

Quad Cannons

• Number of photographs to succeed in max unfold elevated from 20 to 30.

Developer Comments: This change lets Wrecking Ball end off enemies a bit extra reliably when he’s outdoors of point-blank vary and makes him much less reliant on his Piledriver combos.

Zarya

Projected Barrier

• Size decreased 15% now matching again to the scale of Particle Barrier.
• Health decreased from 225 to 200 matching again to the well being of Particle Barrier.

Developer Comments: Zarya is utilizing the barrier on her allies extra typically to peel or provoke mixture performs, which makes the power extra team-oriented and fewer self-serving. This change preserves that fascinating alternative by holding the cooldown diminished when used on an ally whereas focusing on her power maintain as an alternative, which has elevated considerably with the bonuses to the barrier well being and dimension.

DAMAGE

Cassidy

Combat Roll

• Damage discount elevated from 50% to 75%.

Developer Comments: Most injury mitigation from Combat Roll feels incidental, as the power is used extra for mobility or reloading. This adjustment permits Cassidy to be extra intentional along with his rolls to keep away from massive quantities of harm with right timing.

Mei

Deep Chill

Endothermic Blaster

• Damage per second elevated from 70 to 100.
• Now instantly slows enemies by 40% as an alternative of increase over time.

Developer Comment: We appreciated the one-two combo that Deep Chill offered, because it added an fascinating layer for hero mastery. However, in observe, it elevated the quantity of crowd management suffered by enemy gamers whereas additionally lowering Mei’s effectiveness. Rather than additional growing the gradual or growing cumulative combo injury, each of which might result in a extra irritating expertise for the opposing participant, we’re reverting Mei again to her steadiness previous to including the Deep Chill passive.

Torbjörn

Rivet Gun

• Primary fireplace restoration elevated from .48 to .51 seconds.

Overload

• Overhealth bonus decreased from 100 to 75.

Developer Comments: Torbjorn’s Rivet Gun can really feel overwhelming with how shortly it shoots. This change reduces the firing cadence and makes it extra manageable on the receiving finish. Overload offers an excessive amount of defensive worth, so we’re decreasing the overhealth bonus.

SUPPORT

Brigitte

Whip Shot

• Damage elevated from 70 to 80.

Developer Comment: This change will increase her proficiency at defending her allies by rewarding accuracy together with her most aim-focused capability.

Illari

Solar Rifle

• Secondary fireplace therapeutic per second decreased from 120 to 105.

Developer Comments: Illari’s burst therapeutic output continues to be a bit too excessive, so we’re decreasing the effectiveness of the Solar Rifle secondary fireplace to convey her extra in step with different assist heroes.

HERO OPTION AND INPUT UPDATES

In addition to the hero steadiness changes on this replace, we’re implementing further quality-of-life settings and extra enter choices for a number of hero skills to provide the capability to custom-tailor your expertise of enjoying your favourite heroes.

TANK

D.Va

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Light Gun Input – Primary Fire by default.
• Relative Light Gun Aim Sensitivity – 100% by default.
• Relative Light Gun Gyro Aim Sensitivity – 100% by default (solely out there on gyro-supported platforms.

Doomfist

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Swap Meteor Strike Confirm and Zoom Out Inputs – Off by default.

Junker Queen

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Hide Commanding Shout Timer – Off by default.
• Hold to make use of Jagged Blade – Off by default.

Orisa

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Hold to make use of Terra Surge – Off by default.

Ramattra

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Void Barrier Confirmation Input – Secondary Fire Release by default.
• Void Barrier UI – On by default.

Changed the hero-specific possibility:

• Annihilation Cancel Input choices modified from Ability 1/Ability 3 to Ability 1/Ability 3/Off.

Reinhardt

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Charge Cancel Input – Ability 1 by default, with Primary Fire, Secondary Fire, or All as further choices out there.

Roadhog

Whole Hog

• Whole Hog can now be fired with Secondary Fire.

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Whole Hog – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Whole Hog – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Sigma

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Experimental Barrier UI – On by default.
• Hide Gravitic Flux Timer – Off by default.
• Gravitic Flux Confirmation Input – Primary Fire by default.

Winston

Primal Rage

• Primal Rage melee assaults can now be fired with Secondary Fire and Quick Melee together with Primary Fire.

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Primal Rage – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Primal Rage – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Wrecking Ball

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Hide Adaptive Shields Timer – Off by default.
• Adaptive Shields UI – On by default.
• Piledriver UI – On by default.

DAMAGE

Echo

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Toggle Glide – Off by default.
• Secondary Fire Activates Glide on Gamepad – On by default.

Genji

Dragonblade:

• Dragonblade melee assaults can now be fired with Secondary Fire and Quick Melee together with Primary Fire.

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Hide Dragonblade Timer – Off by default.
• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Dragonblade – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Dragonblade – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Hanzo

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Toggle Primary Fire – Off by default.

Mei

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Cryo-freeze Cancel Input – All by default.

Pharah

• Added the hero-specific choices:
• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Rocket Barrage – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Rocket Barrage – 100% by default (solely out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Reaper

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Wraith Form Cancel Input – All by default.

Soldier: 76

• Added the hero-specific choices:
• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Tactical Visor – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Tactical Visor – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Torbjörn

Molten Core:

• Molten Core can now be fired with Secondary Fire together with Primary Fire.

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Molten Core – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Molten Core – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

SUPPORT

Lifeweaver

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Tree of Life Cancel Input – Ability 3 by default.

Lúcio

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Toggle Wall Ride – Off by default.

Mercy

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Toggle Angelic Descent – Off by default.
• Secondary Fire Activates Angelic Descent on Gamepad – On by default.

Moira

Added the hero-specific choices:

• Swap Biotic Orb Heal and Damage inputs – Off by default.
• Hide Coalescence Timer – Off by default.
• Relative Aim Sensitivity During Coalescence – 100% by default.
• Relative Gyro Aim Sensitivity During Coalescence – 100% by default (Only out there on gyro-supported platforms).

Zenyatta

Added the hero-specific possibility:

• Toggle Secondary Fire – Off by default.

MAP UPDATES

ROUTE 66 DESIGN CHANGES

There are actually further locations for the attacking crew to take cowl round their preliminary spawn. The doorways on the primary checkpoint will now solely shut one of many two doorways after the payload passes by giving attackers extra choices to work by the tough choke factors. There can even be fewer locations to take cowl within the later components of the map.

LIGHTING FOR SEASON 7

Push

• New Queen Street – Morning
• Colosseo – Evening
• Esperança – Morning

Hybrid

• Blizzard World – Night
• Eichenwalde – Morning
• Hollywood – Morning
• King’s Row – Night
• Midtown – Night (New)
• Numbani – Morning
• Paraíso – Evening

Escort

• Dorado – Evening
• Havana – Morning
• Watchpoint: Gibraltar – Morning
• Junkertown – Morning
• Circuit royal – Morning
• Rialto – Evening
• Route 66 – Overcast (New)
• Shambali Monastery – Night

Control

• Antarctic Peninsula – Night
• Busan – Morning
• Ilios – Evening
• Lijiang Tower – Dawn
• Nepal – Morning
• Oasis – Morning
• Samoa – Morning (New Map)

Flashpoint

• New Junk City – Morning
• Suravasa – Morning

BUG FIXES

GENERAL

• Fixed a bug the place some gamers have been unable to seize Plays of the Game utilizing the in-game seize system.
• Fixed a problem with the ‘Random’ possibility for Victory Poses and Highlight Intros not saving.
• Fixed a bug that might end in Support Heroes shedding the power to see allied well being bars in Control matches.
• Fixed a problem with the digicam breaking throughout Plays of the Game if the participant used a Souvenir in the course of the play.

MAPS

Watchpoint: Gibraltar

• Fixed a problem with the end-of-game line-up digicam clipping into the surroundings.

Junkertown

• Fixed an space of the map that allowed turrets to be positioned contained in the surroundings.

New Junk City

• Fixed some areas of the map that induced gamers to get caught.
• Fixed lighting in some areas across the map.
• Fixed areas of the map that had gaps in its collision.

Rialto

• Fixed an space close to the boat docks that might end in gamers turning into caught.

Suravasa

• Fixed lighting in a number of areas on the map.
• Fixed some collision on the map that might trigger some odd interactions with sure final skills.

STORY MISSIONS

Toronto Mission

• Fixed just a few areas on the map that might entice Tracer.

HEROES

Cassidy

• Fixed a bug that induced Magnetic Grenade to not detach from eradicated targets.

Illari

• Fixed a problem that prevented the Perfect Placement achievement from finishing in some circumstances.
• Fixed an interplay with Healing Pylon and Lifeweaver’s Tree of Life, the pylon ought to now move by the tree’s cover.
• Fixed a problem with Captive Sun that resulted within the regular main fireplace getting used if fired on the finish of the final word period.
• Fixed a bug with Illari’s secondary fireplace that might trigger efficiency points.

Kiriko

• Fixed an interplay that prevented the ‘Debuffs Cleansed’ emblem from counting Captive Sun results cleansed with Kiriko’s Protection Suzu.
• Fixed a problem that allowed Kiriko to teleport outdoors of the playable area.

Lifeweaver

• Fixed a problem the place Lifeweaver would name out an enemy Petal Platform as his personal when pinging.

Mei

• Fixed a bug that prevented injury from Mei’s alternate fireplace from being counted towards the progress of the ‘Weapon Damage’ emblem.

Sigma

• Fixed a problem with Kinetic Grasp that prevented the next skills from being transformed into overhealth: Ramattra’s Ravenous Vortex, Mei’s Blizzard, Sojourn’s Disruptor Shot.

Symmetra

• Fixed Symmetra’s footsteps failing to play whereas crouched.