As Overwatch 2 enters another new season, we expect updates aplenty as players settle in. Here's all you need to know about any Overwatch 2 patch notes that get released.
Each season of Overwatch 2 will be nine weeks long, and we expect to see at least one set of patch notes per season, especially as they plan on adding new heroes, maps, and more each time. It is likely that most changes will happen as a new season releases unless an urgent fix is needed in the game.
Are you excited to dive into another new season of Overwatch 2? If you are, then you might want to take a look at our character tier list to see how your heroes match up. Here's our guide to the new battlepass and its rewards, too.
Overwatch 2 character changes
Blizzard is constantly looking to keep their first-person shooter balanced by taking in player feedback. The Season 7 patch notes reveal some changes to a bunch of heroes, including a rework to everyone's favourite hacker.
Here's a more detailed look at the character changes Blizzard has made with the release of Overwatch 2 Season 7:
Sombra Rework
Machine Pistol
- Damage increased from 7.5 to 8.
- Minimum Spread reduced from 0.5 to 0.
- Number of shots until max spread increased from 3 to 6 shots.
- Reload time reduced from 1.4 seconds to 1.2 seconds.
Hack
- Cast time reduced from 0.75 seconds to 0.65 seconds.
- Cancels Stealth when used on an enemy hero.
- Cooldown increased from 4 to 6 seconds.
- Has a reduced cooldown of 3 seconds when Hack is interrupted or used on a non-hero enemy.
- "Hacked" warning text will now only appear while you are silenced and not for the remainder duration of the hack debuff.
Opportunist
- Removed
Stealth
- Now a passive ability. Sombra will become invisible automatically after 3.5 seconds of not shooting, using a damaging ability, or receiving damage.
- Movement speed bonus while in Stealth reduced from 60% to 45%.
- Fade Out duration into Stealth reduced from 0.375 seconds to 0.25 seconds.
- Fade In duration from Stealth reduced from 0.5 seconds to 0.375 seconds.
- Updated UI message to the Sombra player when hacking Health Packs to "Revealed" instead of "Detected". "Detected" will now be displayed when an enemy player is within the detection radius.
Virus
- New ability assigned to Ability 1 by default.
- Shoot a projectile that damages an enemy over time. Damage is dealt faster on Hacked enemies.
- Impact Damage: 10 (20 on hacked targets).
- Damage over time: 100 over 4 seconds (100 over 2 seconds on hacked targets).
Translocator
- Will now activate automatically, teleporting Sombra 0.25 seconds after being thrown or when impacting the environment. Can no longer be activated manually.
- Reduces Stealth passive cooldown after teleporting.
- Projectile speed increased from 25 to 72.
- Cooldown reduced from 6 seconds to 5 seconds. Cooldown will begin after Sombra teleports.
- Projectile launch initial vertical offset removed.
EMP
- Ultimate Charge Cost Increased by 15%.
- Health percent damage decreased from 40% to 30%.
Orisa
- Fortify - Damage reduction decreased from 50% to 45%.
Ramattra
- Nemesis Form - Cooldown decreased from 8 to 7 seconds.
Wrecking Ball
- Quad Cannons - Number of shots to reach max spread increased from 20 to 30.
Zarya
- Projected Barrier - Size decreased by 15% now matching back to the size of Particle Barrier.
- Projected Barrier - Health decreased from 225 to 200, matching back to the health of Particle Barrier.
Cassidy
- Combat Roll - Damage reduction increased from 50% to 75%.
Mei
- Deep Chill - Removed
- Endothermic Blaster - Damage per second increased from 70 to 100 and now immediately slows enemies by 40% instead of building up over time.
Torbjorn
- Rivet Gun - Primary fire recovery increased from 0.48 seconds to 0.51 seconds.
- Overload - Overhealth bonus decreased from 100 to 75.
Brigitte
- Whip Shot - Damage increased from 70 to 80.
Illari
- Solar Rifle - Secondary fire healing per second decreassed from 120 to 105.
General game changes to Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 will have a succession of new maps, heroes, and game modes added over the course of its release. Because of this, developers will be keeping a close eye on anything that needs to be updated and brought in line.
Here are the changes that have been revealed for Season 7:
Group Respawn
- Heroes who die within 5 seconds of each other will respawn together, resulting in some players having either a slightly longer or shorter queue than the standard 10 seconds.
- Heroes who die more than 5 seconds from another player eliminated will still respawn in 10 seconds on their own.
- These changes do not apply to Competitive Play mode.
Unranked Leaver Penalties
- 75% XP penalty removed.
- The penalty thresholds have not changed, but the mechanics have also never been completely explained. The last 20 games played a player participated in are recorded. Leaving four of these 20 games activates the first penalty threshold. Leaving six of these 20 games activates the second penalty threshold.
- Queuing for most game modes is now suspended when a player leaves a match inside a penalty threshold.
- Players that reach the first penalty threshold will be suspended for 10 minutes.
- Players that reach the second penalty threshold will be suspended for 30 minutes.
- The queue suspension will reapply each time a player leaves a game when they are above the first penalty threshold but not when they complete their games.
- Consecutive Match XP bonus has been renamed to Endurance Bonus.
- Endurance Bonus is XP granted when finishing matches without leaving the previous match.
New Map - Samoa
This new Control map will take place on a tropical beach, a gleaming city, and inside a volcano. It will appear in Quick Play and other unranked modes starting October 10. It will start appearing in Competitive Play later on in the season.
Halloween Terror 2023
Overwatch's annual spooky event is back with fan-favorite game modes such as Junkenstein's Revenge and Wrath of the Bride. We'll also be getting a new mode called Trials of Sanctuary where we get the chance to take down the likes of Butcher Roadhog, Azmodan Wrecking Ball, and Lilith Moira.
Overwatch 2 update size
The update size for Overwatch 2 Season 7 is roughly around 5 to 6 GB.
That's it for our look at the Overwatch 2 Season 7 patch notes! For more on the game check out our support tier list, plus a useful Genji build guide.