Overwatch 2 Makes Significant Changes Ahead of Season 9

After the thriving success of the first game, Overwatch 2 has faced a rocky path. In 2019, the announcement of Overwatch 2 led to a decline in support for the original game, but with the release of Overwatch 2’s PvE elements in its Invasion update last year, the hero shooter is shifting back in the right direction. With Overwatch 2 Season 9 starting next week, Blizzard is making sweeping changes behind the scenes to make the game more approachable for players.

Updates to the game will improve hit consistency and encounters, with an emphasis on making moment-to-moment gameplay feel more engaging. Following the withdrawal of projectile-based weapons, non-projectile heroes will receive additional balance updates at a later date once the development team has assessed the effects of the changes in a live setting.

Moreover, all heroes will have more health starting with Season 9. The increase in health will vary across different categories of heroes, with tanks receiving the most significant boosts at the start of the season. Additionally, passive health regeneration will play a key role in sustaining heroes during combat.

For competitive play, Season 9 introduces major changes to the structure. Ranks are undergoing a reset, and visual feedback will be provided for the player’s progress after each match. A new top-tier ranking called “Champion” is now available to challenge the best players in the world. Players will also have the opportunity to unlock weapon variants through competitive matches.

Overwatch 2 – Season 9: Champions will commence on February 13. The game is free-to-play and available on various platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.