Overwatch Season 1 is live, and you can jump into a major update that reshapes the game’s structure and rewards. Five new heroes join the roster, and the patch introduces fresh subroles that adjust how you approach team composition and balance changes.
You can also explore a new Battle Pass packed with unlockable content, take part in the Conquest event, and check out the Hello Kitty collaboration. This season sets the tone for the game’s next phase with meaningful gameplay updates and limited-time content.
Overwatch Season 1 patch notes
Season 1 introduces five new heroes: Domina, Anran, Emre, Jetpack Cat, and Mizuki. You also see a new subrole system that adds role-based passive traits to each class.
These subroles shift overall balance. Developers replaced certain overlapping perks and adjusted existing abilities to fit the new structure.
Across the roster, you encounter a mix of buffs, nerfs, and targeted tuning changes. In addition, every hero can now view teammate health bars through walls, expanding a feature that previously applied only to support characters.
Overwatch patch notes: Tanks
You will notice broad adjustments across the tank roster, with several perks removed and core survivability tuned down. Damage output and barrier uptime see targeted reductions, while a few heroes gain tools that reward more deliberate aggression.
Hero-by-hero changes
| Hero | Update |
|---|---|
| D.Va | Base health reduced in both 5v5 and 6v6. In 5v5, base health drops from 375 to 325 (total 700 to 650). In 6v6, base health falls from 300 to 250 (total 600 to 550). |
| Mauga | Kinetic Bandolier now grants 150 ammo instantly instead of generating it over time. |
| Orisa | In 6v6, Protective Barrier cooldown increases from 8 to 10 seconds. Charged Javelin charging animation issues resolved. |
| Reinhardt | Barrier Re-Charge removed. Crusader’s Resolve now triggers passive health regeneration 75% sooner while Barrier Field is active. |
| Roadhog | Take a Breather maximum duration in 5v5 rises from 2.5 to 3 seconds. Pulled Pork overhealth cap increases from 250 to 300. |
| Sigma | Experimental Barrier health reduced from 700 to 650. Hyper Regeneration barrier conversion rate lowered from 50% to 40%. |
| Winston | Barrier Toss removed. Electric Charge grants 10% movement speed per enemy hit by primary fire, up to 30%. |
| Wrecking Ball | Pack Rat removed. Multi-Ball lets you press Ultimate within 5 seconds of Minefield to deploy 7 additional mines. |
| Zarya | Primary fire maximum DPS reduced from 190 to 175. Energy Converter removed. Spotter shifted to a Minor perk with movement speed reduced from 25% to 20%. Energy Lance no longer requires over 50 energy. Extra Oomph allows beam damage to generate energy while a Barrier is active. |
Zarya’s adjustments reduce her peak beam pressure while reworking how you build and spend energy. You rely less on high charge thresholds and more on active barrier usage to maintain output.
Roadhog gains stronger self-sustain and higher overhealth, encouraging you to commit to close-range fights. In contrast, Sigma and D.Va lose durability, which demands tighter positioning and cooldown management.
Several perk removals across Reinhardt, Winston, and Wrecking Ball streamline their kits. You trade passive value for more situational, skill-driven impact.
Season 1 Updates for Damage Role Heroes
Season 1 adjusts perks, mobility tools, and damage breakpoints across the DPS roster. You see several perk swaps, removals, and reclassifications that change how you build each hero.
Sombra loses Healthy Hacker, but gains High-Speed Bandwidth. When you hack a health pack, it now grants allies 25% movement speed and 50 overhealth for 4 seconds. Opportunist no longer highlights low-health enemies and instead reveals enemy ultimate status on nameplates.
Cassidy’s Combat Roll cooldown drops from 6 to 5 seconds. The new major perk, Rollin’ Round-Up, restores 15 health per bullet reloaded during Combat Roll, replacing Gun Slingin’.
Ashe no longer has Sidewinder. With Double-Barreled, knocking an enemy back using Coach Gun briefly lets you fire it again at 25% reduced knockback, giving you tighter control over displacement.
Anran receives direct combat tuning:
- Fan the Flames impact damage increases from 4 to 5.
- Maximum ammo rises from 8 to 10.
- Inferno Rush vertical height drops by 20%, and you can now hold the input to activate it.
- Dancing Blaze cooldown falls from 10 to 8 seconds, but it no longer cleanses effects.
Echo’s Focused Rush now grants 20% movement speed, up from 10%.
Freja loses Hunter’s Instinct. Relentless Barrage shifts from Major to Minor, while Rising Winds becomes a Major perk that adds an extra Updraft charge with 20% less height.
Hanzo removes Lunging. Dragon Fury moves to Minor, with attack speed reduced from 25% to 20% and duration lowered to 1.5 seconds. He also gains Frost Arrow, letting you press Reload to fire an explosive arrow that slows enemies by 35% for 3 seconds.
Pharah drops Sky Spy. Rocket Salvo now fires two spiraling mini-rockets after you use a movement ability, each dealing 40 damage.
Reaper’s Shadow Step no longer cleanses on use.
Soldier: 76 gains Tactical Salvo, allowing Helix Rockets to fire during Tactical Visor without interrupting primary fire. Recycled Pulse Munitions is removed, and Helix Propulsion boosts Helix Rocket projectile speed by 50%.
Torbjörn loses Fully Loaded. With Pre-Heated, activating Molten Core also triggers Overload.
Tracer’s Pulse Pistols damage drops from 6 to 5.75, and she adopts the global projectile size increase of 0.04 meters. Chronal Dash increases Blink distance by 20%. Flashback is removed, and Blink Packs moves to the Major slot.
Vendetta’s base stats shift:
- Health increases from 150 to 175.
- Armor decreases from 125 to 100.
- Soaring Slice cooldown rises to 7 seconds.
- Extra Edge reduces Projected Edge energy cost by 25%.
- Relentless becomes a Major perk.
- Swift Vengeance is removed.
Widowmaker strengthens her utility and lethality. Seeker Mine damage increases from 50 to 75 over its duration. Escape Plan is removed. Widow’s Bite allows scoped shots to charge up to 125%, piercing enemies at full charge.
These updates shift perk priority, refine mobility ceilings, and adjust burst potential across the damage lineup.
Overwatch new season patch notes: Support heroes
You will notice targeted adjustments across eight support heroes, with several perk reworks and ability tuning that shift survivability and output.
Key Hero Updates at a Glance
| Hero | Ability / Perk | What Changed |
|---|---|---|
| Baptiste | Assault Burst | Reclassified to Minor; attack speed bonus lowered to 20% |
| Biotic Reloader | Removed | |
| Expanded Field | Immortality Field radius increased by 30% | |
| Automated Healing | Promoted to Major; healing per shot increased to 40 | |
| Illari | Solar Rifle (Alt Fire) | Resource regen reduced to 35 |
| Outburst | Cooldown increased to 8 seconds | |
| Solar Flare | No longer uses resource; now 10s cooldown | |
| Kiriko | Healing Ofuda | Projectile speed increased |
| Swift Step | No longer cleanses on teleport | |
| Foxtrot | Cooldown recovery bonus removed; movement speed duration extended | |
| Lifeweaver | Tree of Life | Overhealing now converts fully to overhealth |
| Multiple Perks | Several removed; new team utility added | |
| Mercy | Sympathetic Recovery | Removed |
| Swift Recovery | Regeneration triggers sooner | |
| Moira | Destruction’s Divide | Focus bonus increased to 30% |
| Wuyang | Restorative Stream | Passive healing reduced; beam healing increased |
| Zenyatta | Discordant Repair | Gains 10% lifesteal vs. Discord Orb targets |
Illari’s Solar Flare now operates on a fixed 10-second cooldown and no longer drains energy. However, you must manage reduced resource regeneration on her secondary fire and a longer cooldown on Outburst.
Kiriko’s healing travels faster, improving consistency at range. In exchange, Swift Step no longer removes negative effects, which reduces her self-peel options while keeping mobility intact.
Baptiste shifts toward stronger burst healing through Automated Healing, now a Major perk with higher per-shot output. His Immortality Field also covers a wider area, encouraging tighter team positioning.
Lifeweaver gains stronger overhealth generation through Tree of Life, as excess healing fully converts into temporary health. You also gain new mobility and team-support options, including movement buffs and healing from Petal Platform positioning.
Mercy’s passive sustain changes accelerate her natural regeneration, but remove her previous self-healing interaction. Moira strengthens her focused beam impact, rewarding sustained targeting.
Wuyang trades some passive output for stronger directed healing. Zenyatta gains survivability through lifesteal when pressuring Discord-marked enemies, reinforcing aggressive positioning.
