Introduction
The highly anticipated Overwatch 2 Season 6 update has just arrived, and it brings an array of exciting new content for players. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed overview of what you can expect from Overwatch 2 Season 6, including the addition of a new Support Hero, the introduction of Story Missions, and the complete patch notes.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 Release Date
Overwatch 2 Season 6 was officially launched on Thursday, August 10, 2023. With the new season, the Season 5 Battle Pass has expired, making way for a fresh track filled with enticing rewards for players to unlock and enjoy.
Overwatch 2 New Support Hero: Illari
Building on the roadmap shared by Blizzard on May 16, 2023, Overwatch 2 Season 6 introduces a new Support Hero known as Illari. This character was revealed through Overwatch 2’s Invasion launch trailer and brings along a range of unique abilities:
- Solar Rifle (Primary Fire): A long-range auto-charging rifle.
- Solar Rifle (Secondary Fire): A medium-range healing beam that consumes solar energy.
- Outburst (Ability 1): Launches Illari in the direction of movement, knocking back enemies. Holding the jump button allows for higher jumps.
- Healing Pylon (Ability 2): Deploys a pylon that provides healing to allies.
- Captive Sun (Ultimate): Fires an explosive ball of solar energy, slowing down enemies and causing them to explode after sustaining significant damage.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 Hero Balance Changes
As with every update, Overwatch 2 Season 6 brings balance adjustments to various Heroes in the game. The development team aims to ensure a fair playing experience by fine-tuning the abilities of both frequently chosen and less commonly used Heroes. Here are some of the adjustments made:
Tank Hero Changes:
- D.Va: Boosters cooldown reduced from 4 to 3.5 seconds. Eject Mech now grants damage immunity for 0.4 seconds while ejecting.
- Doomfist: Seismic Slam cooldown reduced from 7 to 6 seconds. Power Block now reduces damage from stuck projectiles.
- Ramattra: Block (Nemesis Form) now also reduces damage from stuck projectiles. Annihilation ultimate cost increased by 12%.
- Sigma: Base movement ground deceleration increased to match standard heroes’ movement.
- Winston: Tesla Cannon’s secondary fire charge time reduced from 1.2 to 1 second. Secondary fire recovery time increased from 0.5 to 0.75 seconds.
DPS Hero Changes:
- Bastion: Various adjustments to enhance overall effectiveness, including changes to A-36 Tactical Grenade, Configuration: Recon, Configuration: Assault, and Configuration: Artillery.
- Cassidy: Increased maximum health from 200 to 225, adjusted Peacekeeper damage falloff range, and limited magnetic grenade’s maximum range.
- Hanzo: Arrow draw progress no longer preserved while wall climbing.
- Soldier: 76: Helix Rocket explosion damage reduced from 90 to 80. Tactical Visor ultimate cost increased by 10%.
- Sombra: EMP ultimate cost increased by 15% and no longer instantly destroys Lifeweaver’s Tree of Life.
- Torbjörn: Various improvements to the Rivet Gun and Forge Hammer abilities.
Support Hero Changes:
- Ana: Biotic Rifle damage and healing per projectile reduced from 75 to 70. Unscoped projectile size increased for better landings against close-range threats.
- Brigitte: Barrier Shield health reduced from 300 to 250. Rally ultimate cost increased by 6%.
- Kiriko: Various fixes and adjustments to improve targeting, elevations, and movement.
- Lifeweaver: Base health reduced from 200 to 175. Base shield health increased from 0 to 50. Multiple ability changes, including alterations to Thorn Volley, Rejuvenating Dash, Life Grip, and Tree of Life.
- Lucio: Various improvements to Crossfade, Soundwave, and Inspire.
- Mercy: Caduceus Staff’s secondary fire damage boost reduced from 30 to 25%.
These are just a few examples of the hero balance changes made in Overwatch 2 Season 6. Be sure to check the full patch notes for further details.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 Flashpoint Mode & New Maps
Overwatch 2 Season 6 introduces a thrilling new core mode called Flashpoint. This mode is akin to the original game’s Assault mode but with a twist. Teams now compete to capture different points around the map consecutively. Once a Flashpoint is captured, a new one appears elsewhere. The team that secures three Flashpoints first wins the match.
Additionally, Overwatch 2 Season 6 arrives with two new large maps: Suravasa (inspired by India) and New Junk City (inspired by Australia). These maps offer fresh and exciting battlegrounds for players to explore and conquer.
Story Missions in Overwatch 2 Season 6
While the announcement of the discontinuation of Overwatch 2’s PvE Story Mode may have disappointed some players, fret not! Overwatch 2 Season 6 brings a fantastic alternative—Story Missions. In these missions, players can team up to prevent a global invasion by the Null Sector. The missions are set in Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, and Gothenburg—massive maps with complex objectives and an engaging storyline that guides players through exciting challenges.
Moreover, a bonus mission on King’s Row is available, where players embark on a mission to save Iggy and the rest of the Omnic Underworld from Null Sector, guiding a TS-1 push bot armed to the teeth.
To access the Story Missions, head to Winston’s Desk in the Missions card on the play menu. Here, players can explore the Story Missions hub, delve into the new Intel Database, and unlock various lore entries, movies, and never-before-revealed details.
Please note that access to these missions requires the purchase of the Overwatch 2: Invasion Bundle, available for $15.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 Patch Notes
Here’s a summary of the key changes and additions in the Overwatch 2 Season 6 patch:
- New limited-time event: King’s Row – Underworld: Free-to-play co-op event where players fight against Null Sector forces to liberate endangered Omnics.
- Firing Range: A new addition to the Practice Range, featuring various targets to improve aim and tracking skills.
- Challenges: Updated weekly challenges, additional challenges for “Invasion” story missions, and player progression challenges for all 38 heroes.
- On Fire: Adjustments to the minimum Blazing time, cooldown, and visual effects.
- Ping System: Changes to Symmetra’s personal Teleporter pings and the addition of Health Packs pinging.
- Text Chat: Filtering options updated, with players now able to choose between Friendly and Mature settings for text chat.
- Competitive Play Updates: Increased number of wins required to appear on the Top 500 Leaderboards from 25 to 50 for consistency.
- Bug Fixes: Several bug fixes across multiple heroes, maps, and general improvements.
These are just a few highlights from the comprehensive Overwatch 2 Season 6 patch notes. For the full list of changes, make sure to check out the official patch notes.
Conclusion
Overwatch 2 Season 6 promises an exciting wave of new content, including the addition of Illari as a new Support Hero, the introduction of Story Missions, and numerous hero balance changes. With Flashpoint mode and two new maps, there’s no shortage of thrilling action in the latest update. Stay tuned for more Overwatch 2 updates and make sure to explore all the exciting features and improvements this season has to offer!
Images courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
