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Overwatch 2 proved to be a somewhat surprising hit out of the gate, but big debuts only tell part of a live service game’s story. What matters most is often what happens after such games enjoy a strong debut. So far as that goes, Overwatch 2‘s second season could tell us a lot about the game’s long-term success.
Overwatch 2‘s Season 2 update is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, December 6th. The update follows a global release time schedule, which means that it will be released simultaneously for everyone. Of course, the update’s exact release time depends on which time zone you’re in. So far as that goes, here are the update’s currently scheduled release times in a few major regions:
11:00 am PDT
2:00 pm EST
7:00 pm GMT
As is usually the case with almost every video game update, those release times are subject to change. More importantly, those release times are subject to be impacted by long queue times and server issues. You won’t be disappointed if you go into this update expecting some delay due to one of those common issues. Ideally, everyone will be able to start playing the new season by tomorrow, though.
The highlight of Overwatch 2’s Season 2 update is undoubtedly the addition of the new tank hero, Ramattra. A rather unique “dual-form” hero, Ramattra has the ability to shift between a support-oriented Omnic Form and a damage-focused Nemesis Form. Early reports suggest that ability to transform gives Ramattra the versatility a great tank needs, though there are some concerns regarding the tank’s “jack of all trades, master of none” potential. We’ll see how that plays out once the update goes live.
Of course, Ramattra’s overall effectiveness may be indirectly impacted by some of Season 2’s nerfs and buffs. While the full list of balance changes has yet to be revealed, we know Sojourn is going to be nerfed while Doomfist, Mercy, Ana, and more will receive much-needed buffs. Ramattra’s role in the meta will undoubtedly be determined by how effective Overwatch 2‘s legacy heroes prove to be following the upcoming balance changes.
All of Overwatch 2‘s heroes (and players) will have to learn to navigate Season 2’s new map rotation. Not only does the Season 2 update bring a new escort map (Shambali Monastery), but it will add Rialto and Blizzard World to the standard map rotation. Furthermore, Oasis and Nepal will be reworked slightly as part of the update, while Gibraltar and Hollywood will be removed from the map rotation entirely. Needless to say, everyone is going to have to spend a little time getting used to the new maps, which should certainly make the update’s earliest days quite interesting.
While those are a few of the more significant changes/updates you can expect to find in Overwatch 2‘s Season 2 update, here are a few more features you should keep an eye out for once the update goes live:
- Battle Pass refresh/update
- Catch-Up Hero Challenges that allow you to unlock heroes you may have previously missed
- A special Battle For Olympus event that includes themed skins and a limited-time mode
While this looks like a fairly substantial Overwatch 2 update, it’ll be interesting to see whether the game’s new season is enough to address player concerns regarding the increasingly stagnant sequel. To be more specific, it will be interesting to see whether or not the Overwatch 2 team is quick to address any balance concerns that arise during the update’s earliest days. If not, then the game could find itself in a situation it is all too familiar with.