Overwatch 2 Season 16 Teases Major Perk Changes Ahead of April 22 Update

Blizzard is preparing to roll out the first major wave of Perk adjustments in Overwatch 2 as part of the upcoming Season 16 update, set to arrive on April 22. The changes include new Perks for Sombra, Mercy, Mei, and Juno, along with a notable nerf to Tracer, shaking up hero customization just one season after the system’s debut.

Perks Get Their First Overhaul

First introduced in Season 15, the Perks system allows heroes to enhance or modify their abilities over time, adding a new layer of tactical depth. Blizzard previously confirmed that Perks would be rotated, buffed, or replaced based on usage data and community feedback — and that process officially begins with this update.

In a recent Director’s Take blog, associate game director Alec Dawson revealed some of the incoming tweaks and reworks.

Confirmed Hero Perk Changes in Season 16

🔹 Sombra

• New Major Perk: Viral Replication – Virus now spreads to nearby enemies.
• Replaces: Stack Overflow (which extended Hack duration and reduced Hack distance).

🔹 Mercy

• New Minor Perk: Angelic Resurrection – Grants 100 Overhealth when using Resurrect.
• Replaces: Angelic Recovery (which healed Mercy when healing a full-health ally).

🔹 Juno

• New Major Perk: Locked On – Pulsar Torpedoes’ cooldown is reduced per enemy hit.
• Re-Boots becomes a Minor Perk, enhancing glide duration and jump reset.
• Replaces: Hyper Boost (which pushed Juno forward when gliding through Hyper Rings).

🔹 Tracer

• Flashback (Major Perk) Nerfed – This popular ability, which restored Blink charges after Recall, has been toned down to reduce its overwhelming impact.

🔹 Mei

• New Major Perk Incoming – While full details weren’t disclosed, developers teased that Mei will regain the ability to freeze enemies, a callback to her original Overwatch kit.

More Changes Expected – and a New Game Mode

While Dawson didn’t reveal the entire list of changes, he hinted that additional hero tweaks are on the way. The goal is to keep the Perks system dynamic, with future updates bringing fresh playstyles and evolving meta picks.

Beyond Perks, Season 16 will also introduce “Stadium”, a brand-new best-of-seven game mode that flips the traditional format. Featuring a third-person camera, rotating Powers and Items, and exclusive maps, Stadium promises a drastically different Overwatch experience designed to push hero creativity even further.

Overwatch 2 Season 16 launches April 22, and with Perk reworks, hero balance changes, and new game modes on the way, it’s shaping up to be one of the most experimental seasons yet.

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