With the ongoing success of Marvel Rivals, many gamers have been curious about how Overwatch 2 would respond. In today’s Overwatch 2 Spotlight, Blizzard Entertainment lifted the veil on the game’s plans for 2025 as it aims to be the best competitive team-based hero shooter. This year, Overwatch 2 plans to deliver a variety of updates, focusing on improved gameplay while introducing new experiences, metas, and heroes. Expect an update to competitive rewards, along with various quality-of-life updates and some of the best cosmetics the team has ever created.
Perhaps the biggest announcement today was the new Perks system. Perks are hero-specific bonuses that let players customize their strategies by choosing different upgrades for their hero’s kit. Throughout a match, players will level up their hero two times, with the first choice between two monitor Perks that are lighter upgrades—think small passives or cooldown reductions. The example Blizzard shared was Torbjorn choosing between his Forge Hammer restoring the armor health of teammates, or refilling Rivet Gun’s ammo when activating Overload. The second choice is a Major Perk, which has a gameplay-shifting impact and can redefine what a hero can do. Again, looking at Torbjorn, players will have to choose from anchoring their turrent to walls and ceilings, or a more powerful level 3 turret. Perks will be added to Overwatch 2 in both Competitive and Quick Play starting in Season 15.
When Season 16 launches in April, players can look forward to a new game mode called Stadium. It’ll be Overwatch 2’s biggest mode yet, aiming to deliver an entirely new way to experience the game. Stadium will use a best-of-seven system, and players will earn in-game Stadium coins each round that can be used to unlock and customize their heroes’ abilities. These upgrades range from better survivability and damage to revamping a hero’s abilities entirely. Some examples include Reinhardt being able to fly through the air, charging behind the enemy line and unleashing a lava-spreading Firestrike, or a triple kunai-throwing Kiriko that can teleport to enemies. Stadium will also have the option for players to choose a new third-person perspective. The new game mode is set to launch with at least 14 core heroes, but more heroes, maps, and modes will be added over time.
Speaking of heroes, the newest addition to the Overwatch 2 roster is Freja, a former search-and-rescue operative who is now a bounty hunter. Armed with an explosive crossbow, Freja is all about precision, having a steady aim, and maneuverability with her Quick Dash. Freja joins the roster in Season 16, but players can test her out during a free trial weekend later in Season 15. The team also teased Hero 44, who is currently codenamed Aqua. A Chinese hero, he will wield water-based abilities that can manipulate the battlefield when he joins in Season 18.
For current players, Season 15 launches on February 18 and will be the start of the 2025 Competitive Season. This means a ranked reset and new competitive Galactic Weapons to give players the power of the stars, along with competitive rank Weapon Charms and new Player Portraits. With the new season comes 6v6 competitive queue, along with Overwatch Classic: GOATS. Players will also see the return of loot boxes that will be available from weekly and event rewards, as well as one Legendary Loot box in the Free Battle Pass, and an additional two in the Premium Battle Pass.
Looking ahead, Season 15 will introduce various new systems aimed at improving everyone’s experience. Next season, Overwatch 2 will implement Hero Bans in Competitive, while later this year, there will also be a new Map Voting system.
Finally, for cosmetics, Season 15 introduces the Pixiu Zenyatta Mythic Hero Skin and the Widowmaker Mythic Weapon. Season 16 adds the all-new DokiWatch-themed skins, which include a Juno Mythic Hero Skin and Mercy Mythic Weapon. When Season 17 rolls around, a D.VA Mythic Hero Skin will be added, inspired by the Sibertian tiger, South Korean’s national animal. Reaper will also get a new Mythic Weapon. Players can also look forward to more collaborations, including the return of LE SSERAFIM in Season 15.
