Overwatch 2 Jan 21 patch notes: New 6v6 mode, Echo buffed, Hazard nerfed, more
Midseason for Season 14 is finally here on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch with some love for neglected heroes, toning down some of the stronger ones, and giving players a new 6v6 playtest.
Hazard has been wreaking havoc on the meta for too longdespite a hotfixthat increased his Ultimate cost, so he’s getting a nerf. Meanwhile, as Sojourn remains supreme as the Damage queen, other DPS characters will get a buff to bring them up to her standard.
Supports, on the other hand, can finally leave Ana / Juno jail with some nerfs to these dominant healers as well as a buff to the weaker Illari.
Biggest changes in Overwatch 2 January 21 patch
Season 14 has been Hazard’s meta, as he dominated the ladder and pro playsince his introduction. Blizzard has been steadily nerfingthis dive tankover the course of the season, and he’ll get one more nerf to his Violent Leap ability which will force him to be a bit more thoughtful when diving and using defensive abilities.
Other overperforming heroes like Juno and Ana are also getting hit by the nerf bat. Ana’s Biotic Grenade will do less damage and heal allies less, while Juno’s ultimate has been hit hard with lower damage amplification and duration.
Finally, DPS characters can look forward to running it down as Tracer again, as her guns will see less spread. Echo also received a pretty hefty buff as her Focusing Beam will now deal more damage to targets over 50% HP.
Overwatch 2 mid-Season 15 update patch notes
Overwatch 2’s mid-season 15 patch failed to nerf the most broken heroes
Overwatch 2 Feb 18 patch notes: Hero Perks, Loot Boxes, rank reset, more
For those waiting for some 6v6 news,Season 14’s midseasonwill feature a new 6v6 format: minimum 1, maximum 3. In this format, you’ll have to pick at least one character per role, but can pick up to three characters per role.
Full Overwatch 2 January 21 update patch notes
Year of the Snake Seasonal Event
Celebrate the Lunar New Year – Year of the Snake – in Overwatch 2 with the return of Mischief & Magic, a festive game mode that blends strategy, stealth, and skill along with Bounty Hunter and Capture the Flag. Complete event challenges to unlock exclusive rewards, including Lunar New Year-themed cosmetics that capture the joy and vibrancy of the season. Don’t miss your chance to outwit, outplay, and outlast your opponents!
Valentine’s Day 2025
Take aim and fall in love again with the return of the Love of Geometry game mode. This team Deathmatch brawl pits teams of four Cupid Hanzos against each other. Be sure to watch out as hiding around corners is not safe as everyone can use the original Scatter Arrow ability for Hanzo. This is an event that you’ll fall in love with again as it runs from February 4 to February 18.
6v6 Experimental – Minimum 1, Maximum 3
Step back into Overwatch’s origins even more with a fresh twist on the beloved six-player team format. The 6v6 Min 1, Max 3 Mode is a unique experiment that blends nostalgia with modern gameplay dynamics, offering a structured composition alongside the flexibility to switch roles mid-match. And your participation in this experiment will help shape the future of Overwatch 2’s gameplay—so don’t miss this chance to leave your mark.
Overwatch Classic – Moth Meta
Overwatch Classic – Moth Meta brings you back to one of the most iconic and chaotic chapters in Overwatch history. Mercy’s legendary “Moth” gameplay takes the spotlight as her lightning-fast Resurrects redefine team fights, while heroes like DPS Doomfist and Symmetra with her Shield Generator make a triumphant return to the battlefield. Step onto beloved maps Oasis, Eichenwalde, and Junkertown, where every skirmish is packed with nostalgic strategies and unpredictable mayhem.
Our latest Mythic Weapon is Ashe’s Lead Rose. Growing up in the Lead Rose Manor, Ashe was expected to be the perfect daughter. But while her parents had hoped for a flawless rose, they never expected Ashe’s thorns. Like Ashe, this weapon is both beautiful and lethal. The more Ashe embraces her rebellious nature by earning eliminations, the more she blooms into the person she was meant to be! At level one, players will unlock her base Mythic weapon. Level two unlocks reactivity and the Mythic HUD. The beloved flourish is on Level Three which allows Ashe to tauntingly toss a rose at her opponents. And Level Four is the elimination effects, exploding enemies in a burst of rose petals.
Competitive updates
Competitive Drives
Competitive Rewards
As the 2024 Competitive Year concludes, Season 14 is the last chance to redeem Competitive Points for Jade Weapon Variants. After Season 14 is complete, any accumulated Competitive Points will be converted to Legacy Competitive Points which can be redeemed for Golden Weapon Variants. Jade Weapon Variants will not be available to collect starting in Season 15.
Hero Updates
These hero balance updates only apply to our standard game modes and not the 6v6 Experiment or Overwatch Classic.
Tank Hero Changes
Developer Comment: Ramattra has been underperforming relative to other brawl tanks. Adding a small increase to his armor will provide a necessary boost without altering his core gameplay.
Developer Comment: Winston’s dive potential has been impacted by the increased health pools of enemies. By boosting the damage of the Tesla Cannon’s secondary fire and providing more ammo, this will allow Winston to follow up and finish off enemies without needing to reload as often.
Developer Comment: We’re finding our newest tank’s mobility to be a little too hazardous. By decreasing Violent Leap’s cooldown, Hazard will have to be more selective with how he dives into the opponent backlines.
Damage Hero Changes
Developer Comment: Echo has been slightly underperforming recently, so we are increasing the base damage of the Focusing Beam. This change will make it easier to push enemies into the critical health threshold.
Developer Comment: Tracer has remained less threatening since the damage reduction to her Pulse Pistols. Reducing their spread will make her damage more consistent at slightly longer ranges.
Support Hero Changes
Developer Comment: Recent changes to her rifle have made Ana a highly impactful support. Reducing the damage of her Biotic Grenade will adjust some of her breakpoints and slightly affect her self-sustainability.
Developer Comment: lllari can struggle to heal allies without her Healing Pylon. Increasing the maximum resource of her secondary fire will allow her to support her team more effectively during those moments.
Developer Comment: Juno’s ultimate remains too powerful when used effectively by her allies. Reducing both the duration and damage amplification will reduce the potency of the ultimate.
