Overwatch 2 Releases Major Mid-Season 15 Update

Overwatch 2 has launched its mid-Season 15 patch, introducing hero Perk buffs, the second LE SSERAFIM collaboration, and the Mythic Dame Chance weapon skin for Widowmaker. Additionally, players can look forward to the Freja trial starting on March 21 and the return of the GOATS meta in Overwatch: Classic on March 25, making for an action-packed few weeks.

Key Updates and Features

Mid-Season Balance and Hero Adjustments

Following the massive Season 15 update in February, which introduced Perks, Loot Boxes, and a competitive rank reset, this patch brings hero balance changes, primarily focused on buffs.

• Junker Queen, Roadhog, Brigitte, Genji, and Mei have received Perk improvements, making them stronger choices in battle.
• Illari’s Solar Rifle has been adjusted so that Quick Melee no longer pauses its recharge.
• Bastion and Torbjorn faced nerfs:Bastion’s Self-Repair Perk now has a resource meter to limit its overpowered healing.
• Torbjorn’s Turret saw reductions in base health and damage, but the Craftsman Minor Perk restores its health to pre-nerf levels.

LE SSERAFIM Collaboration Returns

The second Overwatch 2 x LE SSERAFIM collab brings fresh energy and style to the game:

• Five new Legendary skins for D.Va, Ashe, Mercy, Illari, and Juno.
• Recolors of 2023’s event skins.
• Exclusive challenges to unlock the Legendary Fawksy James Junkrat skin.

Overwatch: Classic – GOATS Meta Returns (March 25)

Overwatch history comes alive with the GOATS meta, featuring the dominant three-tank, three-support strategy from September 2018.

• Hero balance adjusted to reflect the original GOATS era.
• Moira, Brigitte, and Wrecking Ball added.
• Blizzard World, Rialto, and Busan return as featured maps.

New Mythic Weapon – Widowmaker’s Dame Chance

A true masterpiece, the Dame Chance Mythic weapon skin elevates Widowmaker’s rifle with:

• A dynamic crystalline core that evolves based on performance.
• Exclusive animations, sound effects, and a custom Mythic HUD.
• A signature weapon flourish where Widowmaker spins her Grappling Hook.

Overwatch 2’s Future Looks Bright

With hero buffs, returning events, and fresh content, this mid-season update builds on Season 15’s momentum. As players anticipate Freja’s debut in Season 16, Overwatch 2 continues to evolve, keeping the game engaging for both veterans and newcomers alike.

Overwatch 2 Hero Updates

TANKS

Junker Queen

• Deep Wounds: Extended wound duration increased from 0.25 to 0.5 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Enhances Junker Queen’s ability to sustain wounds on targeted enemies.

Ramattra

• Prolonged Barrier: Now increases Void Barrier size by 25%.
• Developer Notes: Expands Ramattra’s shielding capabilities for better area control.

Reinhardt

• Crusader’s Resolve: Passive regeneration trigger rate increased from 50% to 75%.
• Shield Slam: Cooldown reduced from 8 to 6 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Enhancements improve Reinhardt’s perks for broader usability.

Roadhog

• Hog Toss: Now boosts Pig Pen’s damage by 25%.
• Developer Notes: Adjustments increase the ability’s impact beyond just throw distance.

Winston

• Short Circuit: Damage against deployables increased from 30% to 50%.
• Developer Notes: Improves effectiveness against barriers and turrets.

Wrecking Ball

• Transfer Efficiency: Ally transfer cost reduction increased from 33% to 50%.
• Developer Notes: Strengthens Wrecking Ball’s support capabilities through shield transfers.

DAMAGE

Bastion

• Self-Repair: Now requires a resource meter to heal.
• Developer Notes: Prevents excessive healing, ensuring fairer engagements.

Cassidy

• Past Noon: Ultimate charge refund increased from 30% to 40%.
• Developer Notes: Enhances High Noon’s viability as a zoning tool.

Genji

• Acrobatics: Now resets double jump after wall climb.
• Meditation: Healing increased from 25 to 35 per second.
• Blade Twisting: Bonus damage triggers for 10 seconds after elimination (up from 6s) and is now applied over 1 second instead of 2.
• Developer Notes: Improves the flexibility and effectiveness of Genji’s perks.

Mei

• Permafrost: No longer increases Ice Wall cooldown.
• Developer Notes: Removes unintended negative impact on her Ice Wall ability.

Pharah

• Helix Shields: Converted shields increased from 75 to 125.
• Developer Notes: Enhances Pharah’s survivability.

Reaper

• Dire Triggers: Recovery time reduced from 0.9 to 0.7 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Improves fluidity between primary fire and ability use.

Soldier: 76

• Stim Pack: Cast time reduced from 0.4 to 0.15 seconds. Anti-heal effect is now cleansable.
• Developer Notes: Increases responsiveness during combat without disrupting firing rhythm.

Sombra

• Stack Overflow: Range penalty reduced from 30% to 15%.
• White Hat: Hack is now uninterruptible from damage while healing allies.
• Developer Notes: Ensures Major Perks provide consistent value without altering core mechanics.

Torbjörn

• Deploy Turret: Base health reduced from 250 to 225, damage reduced from 13 to 12.
• Craftsman: Now additionally boosts Deploy Turret base health by 25.
• Developer Notes: Balances turret power while shifting some strength into the Minor Perk.

Tracer

• Quantum Entanglement: Overhealth duration increased from 3.5 to 6 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Extends the window for utilizing Overhealth after Recalling.

SUPPORT

Baptiste

• Automated Healing: Healing increased from 25 to 30 per shot.
• Assault Burst: Attack speed increased from 20% to 30%.
• Developer Notes: Adjustments balance the loss of instant healing and enhance perk effectiveness.

Brigitte

• Barrier Restoration: After Shield Bash, Brigitte gains 30% movement speed for 1.5 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Provides additional mobility options when engaging or repositioning.

Illari

• Solar Rifle: Weapon recharge is no longer paused during Quick Melee.
• Summer Solstice: Now also grants 30% increased attack speed while Captive Sun is active.
• Developer Notes: Enhances offensive potential when using her ultimate.

Juno

• Re-Boots: Now also extends Glide Boost duration by 25%.
• Developer Notes: Enhances aerial mobility, making it a more impactful perk.

Lifeweaver

• Superbloom:Damage increased from 30 to 40.
• Hits required to trigger increased from 16 to 20.
• Time window to land hits extended from 1.5 to 2.5 seconds.
• Lifeweaving: Healing Blossom bonus increased from 20 to 30.
• Developer Notes: Improves activation consistency and healing potential.

Mercy

• Flash Heal: Cast time reduced from 0.875 to 0.4 seconds.
• Developer Notes: Makes the ability more responsive for emergency healing.

Bug Fixes

General Fixes

• Fixed an issue where Maximilien’s Vault cards were not displaying correctly.
• Fixed a bug where the Overwatch League shop was missing from the menu.
• Addressed disconnect issues with the replay system.
• Fixed an issue where loot box thumbnails would not appear.
• Resolved a bug where the switch spawn button was unresponsive.
• Fixed a visual error in the Hero Gallery where some skins incorrectly showed as purchasable.
• Restored Ana’s Bastet skin, which was previously missing.

Hero Fixes

• Orisa: Previously fixed a bug where Bulwark Perk’s overhealth would not restore if fully depleted.

This patch brings a variety of hero balance updates, perk adjustments, and bug fixes, ensuring a more refined and engaging gameplay experience for Overwatch 2 players.