

Overwatch 2 Mid-Season Patch Notes
The latest mid-season update to Overwatch 2 brings a slew of enhancements, particularly tailoring the gameplay experience for competitive players and bolstering the capabilities of tank heroes. Unlike many previous patches, this one stands out as it exclusively provides buffs to the heroes, indicating a shift towards amplifying the strengths of characters rather than curtailing their abilities.
Focused on refining what’s already in play, the patch eschews the typical balance adjustments that often include nerfs to overly potent heroes. Instead, it opts to elevate the gameplay by improving the existing mechanics, crafting a more dynamic battlefield where every hero feels stronger and more viable in the competitive scene.
Updates to Ranked Gameplay Mechanics
Visibility of Rank Adjustment Metrics
- Post-match Rating Adjustment: Players now see how much their rank is adjusted after a match, separate from their overall total.
- Better Display for Demotion Shield: Clarity is improved by placing the demotion shield indicator beneath the rank progress bar.
Adjustments Based on Skill Extremes
- Impact on Top and Bottom Tiers: The modifier now affects highly skilled and lower-end players differently in terms of rank progression.
- Progression Rate Changes: High-tier players face steeper rank penalties when losing, while players lower on the skill scale may expect increased gains from victories.
Revised Grouping Boundaries
- Grandmaster Level: Permissible grouping within three ranking divisions.
- Champion Tier: Limited to one division difference for group play.
Mitigating Continuous Losses
- Matchmaking Consideration: Players experiencing multiple losses are less likely to be teamed up with others in a similar losing pattern.
Ranked Tier | Grouping Flexibility |
---|---|
Grandmaster | Up to three divisions |
Champion | Restricted to one division |
Use of bold text and a table enhances clarity and provides a quick reference for gamers regarding the latest competitive play updates.
Adjustments to Heroes‘ Protection and Recovery
The latest update in Overwatch 2 on May 14 has fine-tuned the dynamics of defensive play and survival tactics.
- Armor calculation now consistently reduces damage by 5 for each hit, capping at half the damage dealt.
- Health regeneration for heroes not currently in battle has shifted to a blend of a stable 10 health per second plus a dynamic 5% of their total health.
These updates aim to balance gameplay against certain weapon types, ensuring a more strategic and engaging combat experience.
Adjustments to Tank Roles
The Scrapyard Sovereign
- Junker Queen's Commanding Shout can now overlap with her other attacks.
- Cooldown Reduction: Now refreshes in 12 seconds, down by two seconds.
The Centripetal Force Master
- Sigma's Gravitic Flux can trap opponents without needing direct visual connection.
The Mechanized Marauder
- Increased Damage: Grappling Claw now deals 60 impact damage, up from 50.
- Piledriver Alteration: Enemies are now immobilized for 0.75 seconds, an increase from 0.5 seconds.
- Minefield Enhancement: Detonation damage raised to 165 and knockback to 10.
The Protector of Volskaya
- Zarya sees Graviton Surge expand in both impact radius, to 7 meters, and effect duration, now lasting 4 seconds.
Overall, these updates bolster the defensive and offensive capabilities of Tank heroes in Overwatch 2, offering them more resilience during combat through enhanced damage reduction from headshots and improved knockback resistance.
Adjustments to Damage Characters in Mid-May Updates
Changes to Junkrat’s Arsenal
- Frag Launcher Potency: Damage on direct hit upped from 40 to 45.
- Overall Damage Output: Total damage capability now stands at 125.
Echo’s Ult Enhancements
- Ultimate Transformation Speed: Echo now gains ultimates at 4.5 times the normal rate during Duplicate.
Hanzo’s Ultimate Tempo
- Dragonstrike Pace: The ultimate now travels faster, clocking in at 15 meters per second.
Adjustments to Support Characters in Overwatch 2's Latest Update
Enhancements to Brigitte
- Rally Activation: Now instantly refreshes Shield Bash cooldown.
Rectification of Glitches
In the latest Overwatch 2 update, various glitches have been addressed to enhance player experience:
- Map Corrections: Locations on Eichenwalde, Samoa, and Shambali that caused players to become stuck have been rectified.
- Skin Alignment: The alignment issues with feathers on Mercy's Vengeance skin have been resolved.
- Character Ability: Improvements to Venture's Tectonic Shock now prevent miscounting of turrets and non-player entities for challenges, and an overground burrowing issue has been fixed.
These precise adjustments aim to refine gameplay and maintain competitive integrity.