You step into Overwatch Season 3 with a major update that expands the roster, refines core systems, and addresses recent community concerns. Blizzard adds quality-of-life improvements, balance changes, and bug fixes while continuing the broader overhaul that began earlier this year.
The headline addition is Shion, a Damage hero tied to the Hashimoto Clan, who enters the fight with dual pistols, high mobility, and a motorcycle-based combat style. Alongside her debut, you gain access to new limited-time events, a hybrid Tokyo map through the Anima Strike meta event, and multiple gameplay adjustments that reshape both standard matches and Stadium mode.
Overwatch Season 3 Patch Notes
Overall Game Changes
Nintendo Switch players will download a larger update due to a client rebase. Expect longer installation times on that platform.
The Advanced Info Panel now defines several additional keywords tied to complex ability behavior. New entries include Crush, Heal Amp Cap, Ignore Energy, Reduction Cap, and Strong Reduction, giving you clearer descriptions of how certain effects interact.
Audio Settings
You can now adjust the volume of teammate and enemy elimination sound effects separately. Find this slider under Options → Sound → General → Sounds.
This setting lets you fine-tune combat audio without lowering other important cues.
Input and Keybind Adjustments
The default shortcut for toggling the user interface has been removed. The previous ALT+Z bind no longer applies automatically.
If you rely on this function, reassign it manually in Options → Controls.
Accessibility Improvements
Two new chat-focused settings expand visual clarity options.
High Contrast Chat adds a darker background behind text to improve readability.
Chat Background Opacity lets you adjust how dark the chat panel appears when High Contrast mode is off.
These tools help you tailor chat visibility to your preference.
Social Features
The Friend Panel now includes a Favorites category. You can mark specific friends and locate them faster in your list.
This system streamlines party formation and repeated group play.
Ranked Mode Adjustments
Hero Ban System Changes
The Roster feature supports better coordination by showing your preferred heroes to teammates. Your top hero in the Roster now applies three negative votes during the ban phase, which can offset another player’s third-choice vote.
A new Lobby Ban slot adds a fifth ban that can bypass the usual two-per-role restriction. Lobby Bans combine votes from both teams. If both teams cast at least one vote for the same hero and the total reaches ten votes, the system bans that hero regardless of role limits.
The Ban Results screen now displays clearer visuals for the snake draft order and highlights the Lobby Ban outcome. During voting, you also see the exact value of each choice:
- 1st choice: 7 votes
- 2nd choice: 5 votes
- 3rd choice: 3 votes
You also see your team’s total vote contribution per hero, improving transparency.
Negative votes on your preferred hero reduce the chance that a single teammate can remove your main selection. However, multiple teammates can still outvote you if they coordinate.
Top 500 Live Match Viewing
You can now watch live matches from players on the Top 500 Challenger leaderboards. These streams include a delay to prevent competitive exploitation.
Replay controls match the standard replay viewer.
If you appear on any leaderboard and prefer privacy, enable Hide Leaderboard Live Replay under Options → Social → Privacy → Leaderboards.
Rank Adjustment Compensation
Compensation for matches affected by cheaters now respects the Pressure Modifier. Rank progress awarded to higher-ranked players scales appropriately instead of granting flat gains.
Hero Adjustments
The perk system continues to evolve. This update targets perks with extreme pick rates, win rates, or overall impact, aiming to preserve meaningful build choices across roles.
Tank Role Changes
D.Va
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Shield System (Major) | Shield conversion reduced from 150 to 100 |
This reduces bonus durability gained through the perk.
Domina
- Corporate Retreat (Major) added. You can reposition Barrier Array once while active.
- Power Move (Major) removed.
You now gain tactical flexibility at the cost of the previous perk option.
Doomfist
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Power Matrix (Major) | Duration reduced from 1 second to 0.8 seconds |
This shortens the window of amplified impact.
Hazard
Hazard’s survivability and mobility have driven strong performance across multiple scenarios. Adjustments introduce clearer tradeoffs between damage and movement.
- Anarchic Zeal (Minor): Healing increased from 30% to 40%.
- Reconstitution: Shifted from Major to Minor. Extra resource cap reduced from 50 to 25.
- Deep Leap: Shifted from Minor to Major. Range bonus increased from 15% to 20%.
- Explosive Impalements (Major): Damage reduced from 40 to 30.
Spike Guard maximum duration decreased from 3 to 2.5 seconds.
These updates lower sustained durability while redistributing power across perk tiers.
Ramattra
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Relentless Form (Minor) | Bonus duration increased from 1 to 2 seconds; half value during Annihilation |
| Nanite Repair (Major) | Healing increased from 75 to 100 |
These changes strengthen survivability options, especially outside ultimate windows.
Reinhardt
Reinhardt gains improved ranged consistency.
- Firestrike damage: 120 → 125
- Projectile speed: 30 → 33
Faster projectiles increase hit reliability at mid-range.
Zarya
| Attribute | Change |
|---|---|
| Energy degeneration | Reduced from 2.5 to 2.0 per second |
You retain energy longer, improving sustained pressure without raising peak damage ceilings.
Damage Role Changes
Anran
Recovery times on key abilities have been shortened:
- Inferno Rush: Recovery reduced from 0.3 to 0.1 seconds.
- Dancing Blaze: Recovery reduced from 0.2 to 0.1 seconds.
These adjustments smooth ability flow without raising raw output.
Ashe
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Double-Barreled (Minor) | Removed knockback reduction on second shot |
| Viper Sting (Major) | Removed ammo gain |
| Airburst (Major) | Ammo gain increased from 3 to 6 |
Perk selection now shifts more clearly toward burst-oriented builds.
Bastion
- Armored Artillery (Minor) removed.
- Smart Bomb (Minor) now increases self-knockback by 25% and prevents self-damage from A-36 Tactical Grenade.
This supports mobility-focused grenade play.
Cassidy
- Even The Odds (Minor): Healing increased from 30 to 40 per second.
- Silver Bullet (Major): Total bleed damage reduced from 70 to 50; duration reduced from 2.5 to 1.5 seconds.
Sustain improves while bleed lethality declines.
Echo
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Partial Scan (Minor) | Ultimate charge gain reduced from 50% to 30% |
| Full Salvo (Major) | Additional projectiles reduced from 3 to 2 |
Ultimate cycling slows, and burst output slightly decreases.
Emre
- Override Protocol: Ultimate cost increased by 10%.
Higher cost aligns charge frequency with overall impact.
Genji
- Meditation (Major): Healing increased from 35 to 50 per second.
- Deflect cooldown: Reduced from 10 to 8 seconds.
You gain more frequent defensive windows and stronger sustain when committing.
Junkrat
| Perk | Change |
|---|---|
| Bomb Voyage (Minor) | Attack speed bonus increased from 25% to 35% |
This increases pressure during aggressive spam phases.
Mei
Mei’s primary fire range has been extended. This helps you apply freeze pressure more reliably when closing distance.
Support Role Changes
No specific support hero balance adjustments were listed in this update. The perk system remains under evaluation for future refinements.
Core Gameplay Systems
Tank Systems
Hero ban visibility and Roster integration primarily affect tank selection in competitive play. Negative vote weighting on preferred heroes reduces the chance that a single teammate removes your main tank option.
Lobby Bans also allow both teams to remove highly contested tank picks even if role limits would normally prevent it.
Damage Systems
Damage heroes see indirect effects from the revised ban interface and Roster visibility. Clearer vote totals and snake draft visuals improve strategic planning during draft phases.
Live replay access for Top 500 matches also provides you with more opportunities to study high-level damage play in real time.
