A new patch for Overwatch 2 rolled out Monday that promises a “really, really, really balanced” version of the game. That patch landed on April Fools’ Day, of course, bringing back googly-eyed heroes and a sweeping set of changes to characters’ abilities. It’s a chance for Overwatch 2 players to have a week’s worth of chaotic fun, and for Blizzard to test out some secretly very good tweaks to the game.
The new Balanced Overwatch mode is only available in the arcade section of Overwatch 2, meaning these changes don’t affect Quick Play or Competitive modes — for good reason. Some changes are ridiculous: Relatively new tank Mauga is now 50% smaller, and has just 25 health (down from 525), making him a tiny terror. Conversely, support hero Brigitte is now a full-on tank; she’s 1.5 times bigger, has an always-massive shield, and got a huge increase to her armor and shield HP.
Some changes are just straight-up silly. Illari becomes solar-powered on any map where the sun is out. Moira’s Biotic Grasp has been flipped, meaning her healing ability now does damage, and her damage ability now does healing — potentially causing DPS Moiras to actually heal their teammates by mistake. Torbjörn’s turrets now stick to anything: walls, ceilings, even other heroes.
Balanced Overwatch also includes some fun new abilities, some of which should actually be in the game. Mei can now summon an ice pillar that launches her into the air. Pharah gets a new ability called Jet Land that lets her dash downward toward the ground while in the air. Reinhardt can reflect incoming fire with his shield, but at the cost of health.
Blizzard has implemented some previous April Fools’ Day prank changes into the main game. In 2021, Blizzard gave D.Va the ability to crush her enemies when calling in her mech, and gave Zarya a shared cooldown across her two types of bubbles. Those changes ultimately made it into the core modes of Overwatch 2.
More importantly that stealth-introducing actual long term game changes is giving Overwatch 2 players a chance to have fun without the promise of idealistic perfect game balance. Go ahead and win or lose, but have fun, and try to ride on the back of Orisa as Hanzo while you’re at it. You’ll get some free sprays (and lots of XP) for playing.
Balanced Overwatch runs April 1-8, and is accessible from the PLACEHOLDER_TEXT menu in Overwatch 2. You can read about the latest changes in Blizzard’s patch notes below.
Developer Comments: Mech go zoom and D.Va bomb go boom.
Boosters
Self Destruct
Developer Comments: Doomfist is a mobility hero, so there’s no reason he should be slowing down while blocking right?
Power Block
Developer Comments: Leave it to Junker Queen to cut her way toward new heights.
Jagged Blade
Developer Comments: Smallga
Incendiary Chain Gun
Developer Comments: Efi has made some changes to Orisa’s technology inspired by a completely hypothetical scenario where a certain archer rides her into battle.
Energy Javelin
Developer Comments: We heard Ramattra wasn’t suffering enough so we’ve increased his suffering so that when he causes suffering his enemies will suffer as much as he has suffered.
Annihilation
Nemesis Form
Reinhardt Comment: HAHA! THIS IS JUST LIKE PING PONG! WATCH THIS, BRIGITTE! I WILL BE ENTERING THE CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR!
Barrier Field
Developer Comments: Much to the chagrin of his enemies, Roadhog has recently discovered baseball.
Pig Pen
Developer Comments: Danger! Falling rocks.
Accretion
Developer Comments: Empowering the “no aim” playstyle.
Tesla Cannon
Primal Rage
Developer Comments: We’re preparing to retcon Wrecking Ball into a crab. Hope these changes are sufficiently immersive.
Quad Cannons
Developer Comments: Please don’t burst Zarya’s bubble, no matter how big it gets.
Particle Barrier and Projected Barrier
Developer Comments: B.O.B.’s upset from being called the wrong name, so F.R.E.D.’s picking up the slack.
F.R.E.D.
Developer Comments: Yeah, we’ve switched up his configurations a little. So anyway, start blastin’.
Configuration: Assault
Reconfigure
Developer Comments: Extra survivability is every cowboy’s dream – just don’t die.
Wanted!
Developer Comments: Now bringing Mystery Heroes into other modes.
Focusing Beam
Duplicate
Developer Comments: Parry this! *Not exclusive to casual players.
Deflect
Developer Comments: Hanzo has always struggled to overcome his past, so it’s hard for him not to bounce back to old habits.
Storm Arrows
Developer Comments: Junkrat put bombs on his bombs. Not sure why this would surprise anybody.
Frag Launcher
Developer Request: Definitely do not use this to get to spots on the map you’re not supposed to get to, thanks.
Avalanche Launch
Developer Comments: You’ve used Hover Jets. You’ve used Jump Jets. You’ve used Jet Dash. But have you tried Jet Land?
Jet Land
Developer Comments: Someone’s taken a page out of Mauga’s book.
Hellfire Shotguns
Developer Comments: Vivian Chase? More like Vivian Pull.
Disruptor Shot
Developer Comments: Run and gun? Sounds like fun!
Heavy Pulse Rifle
Developer Comments: To keep fights fair, let the enemy team know that they should update their network anti-virus and firewalls as soon as possible.
Virus
Developer Comments: Symmetra can’t troll you if you don’t press Teleport.
Teleporter
Developer Comments: Everyone deserves a pet turret.
Deploy Turret
Developer Comments: krow slotsiP esluP ruoy woh gnignahc ,erutuf ro tsap eht ot uoy sdnes ylmodnaR
Recall
Developer Comments: Hooks + Headshot = Parkour
Grappling Hook
Developer Comments: Rise and shine! How’s this for a rude awakening?
Sleep Dart
Developer Comments: Someone once advised Baptiste to keep moving forward. He’s really taken that advice to heart.
Exo-Boots
Amplification Matrix
Developer Comments: Bigitte
Shield Barrier
Rally
Developer Comments: Fixing a longstanding Illari bug, her solar powers are now fully functional.
Captive Sun
Solar Powered
Dev Comment: You should see her on her trampoline.
Protection Suzu
Vulpine Agility
Developer Comments: Reach new heights with Lifeweaver through the power of photosynthesis.
Petal Platform
Developer Comment: Lucio’s gun is now keepin’ it in time.
Sonic Amplifier
Sound Barrier
Developer Comments: Goodbye, 0 damage numbers!
Caduceus Staff
Caduceus Blaster
Dev Comment: Moira’s right arm is starting to melt from all the experimentation, so she’s switching it up.
Biotic Grasp (Primary Fire)
Biotic Grasp (Secondary Fire)
Developer Comments: “Let Zen walk?” Not sure about that one.
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