Overwatch 2 has just launched a new Stadium update. The latest patch from developer Blizzard comes with big adjustments to competitive gameplay. At the same time, it brings changes to hero balance and progression. This update also fixes different bugs in the game.
Stadium Competitive Updates
According to Blizzard Entertainment, the patch fixes an issue faced by players. Mainly, they were getting very low Stadium Points when close to their predicted ranks. It slowed down their progress in ranking. So, the developers adjusted the distribution curve. It now helps players reach the Elite rank more easily. The studio also revised the maximum and minimum points gained or lost in Stadium matches. It lightens the impact of losing. In the same way, this makes competitive play feel a lot more reasonable. So, there is now a more balanced system.
Hero Balance Changes
The update also focuses on improving gameplay consistency and fairness, said Blizzard Entertainment. In particular, it addresses hero balance with buffs and nerfs.
- Freja
Before, this DPS hero struggled with the lowest win rate in Stadium. To fix it, the creators increased five of her powers. But players do not need to worry about her being too powerful. The changes only aim to boost her consistency. They do not increase her top damage or one-shot potential.
- Tracer
Unlike Freja, who receives nothing but boosts, Tracer gets a more balanced set of tweaks. In detail, her health gains from items were cut down. It is to add a sense of risk in her engagements. Similarly, her cooldown reduction, mobility, and damage skills got modified. Tracer’s temporal powers also became better.
- Brigitte
The developers found this character too powerful in Overwatch 2. So, they are reducing the damage output of her Shield Boomerang power. It avoids unintended damage spikes. At the same time, this reduction brings her power more in line with her other skills.
Bug Fixes
Part of the patch from Blizzard Entertainment addresses several bugs.
- Corrects Mercy’s Ultimate animation and voice lines in Overwatch Classic
- Fixes Wuyang’s Ultimate targeting behavior and damage issues
- Re-enables the Aatlis map
Aside from these, the latest update includes many other bug fixes. For full patch notes, visit Blizzard Entertainment.
Availability and What’s Next
The new Overwatch 2 update is now live for all players. But it could be one of the last patches, if not the final, before the launch of Season 19. This next major update is expected to arrive on October 14.
