According to leaks, Overwatch 2’s Season 9 update will be a massive overhaul of the competitive first-person hero shooter game.
The patch notes for Season 9 of Overwatch 2 have reportedly leaked, and, if true, some major changes are coming to the hero shooter. Overwatch 2 is now a bit overdue for some balance tweaks, and the latest leak seems to suggest that those alterations and more are on the way when the next season drops.
Overwatch 2‘s newest hero, Mauga, is getting all the headlines due to some overpowered abilities. In fact, some players are quitting Overwatch 2 due to Mauga. While the new tank is perhaps the most egregious offender when it comes to unbalanced gameplay at the moment, Overwatch 2 players have long pleaded with Blizzard for some major overhauls. Luckily, the latest leak appears to be offering just that.
Rupal, an Overwatch 2 pro, recently leaked Season 9’s patch notes on stream. The reported changes include health buffs across the board as well as projectile radius increases for several characters. Even Mauga is seeing a health increase. This also coincides with an earlier Overwatch 2 Season 9 Tracer leak that claimed the DPS hero would be seeing an HP bump. Additionally, the costs for ultimates are being increased by 10%. Not to mention, damage dealing will reduce healing and there will no longer be reload speed bonuses following eliminations.
SEASON 9 LEAKED PATCH NOTES
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Essentially, it appears as though Overwatch 2 heroes will be a bit more stout on the battlefield. DPS heroes are seeing fewer bonuses while all characters’ health will be increased by roughly 15% to 20%. Not to mention, the increased cost of ultimates will ensure these devastating attacks happen less frequently.
Until official announcements are made by the Overwatch 2 team, these leaks are subject to change and should be taken with a grain of salt. That said, the leaks do line up with earlier reports that Overwatch 2 is making big tank and damage changes in Season 9. Whatever the final product ends up being, it’s safe to assume that Season 9 will usher in some major changes.
Overwatch 2‘s game director Aaron Keller has taken to social media to discuss some of the tweaks coming in the next season, including a self-healing passive for all roles. The news wasn’t initially taken well by everyone in the community, and the Overwatch 2 dev even apologized for sharing some of the details, perhaps a bit out of context. Keller stated that this one change will be part of a larger overhaul coming in Season 9, which certainly appears to line up with the latest leaks.
Overwatch 2 Season 9 Leaked Patch Notes
Global Projectile Size Changes
- Most damage-dealing projectile sizes have been increased, allowing all heroes to hit their targets more easily
- Hitscan weapons with a high spread and rate of fire, such as Soldier 76’s Pulse Rifle, have been increased by 0.05
- Average hitscan weapons and abilities, such as Cassidy’s Peacemaker, have been increased by 0.08
- Travel-time projectile weapons that are shotguns, such as Roadhog’s scrap gun, or have a high rate of fire, such as Ramattra’s Void Accelerator, have been increased by 0.05
- Travel-time projectiles that travel slower than 50 meters per second, such as Pharah’s Rocket Launcher, are increased by 0.15
- Travel-time projectiles that travel 50 meters per second or more, such as Hanzo’s Storm Bow, are increased by 0.1
- Projectiles excluded from this update:
- Ana’s Sleep Dart
- Brigitte’s Whip Shot
- Reinhardt’s Firestrike
- Roadhog’s Chain Hook
- Sigma’s Accretion
- Sombra’s Virus
Ultimate Charge Updates
All hero ultimate costs are increased by 10%.
Health Updates
The total Hero health pool for all heroes, including health, armor, and shields, are increased from around 15% to 20%.
Tanks:
D.Va
Base Stats
- Pilot D.Va’s health increased from 150 to 175
- Mech D.Va’s armor increased from 300 to 375
Self-Destruct
- Outer radius max damage increased from 900 to 1000
- Inner radius range increased from 4 to 6 meters
Doomfist
Base Stats
- Health increased from 300 to 375
Rocket Punch
- Max impact damage increased from 50 to 75
- Max wall slam damage increased from 30 to 40.
Junker Queen
Base Stats
- Health increased from 300 to 375
Rampage
- Wound damage over time increased from 60 to 90.
Mauga
Base Stats
- Health increased from 300 to 400
Orisa
Base Stats
- Armor increased from 275 to 350
Ramattra
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 275
Reinhardt
Rocket Hammer
- Damage increased from 85 to 100
Charge
- Wall impact damage increased from 225 to 275
Roadhog
Base Stats
- Health increased from 550 to 650
Sigma
Base Stats
- Shields increased from 200 to 275
Winston
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 225
- Armor increased from 200 to 250
Tesla Cannon
- Damage increased from 60 to 75 damage per second
Primal Rage
- Punch damage increased from 40 to 50
Wrecking Ball
Base Stats
- Armor increased from 100 to 175
Zarya
Particle Cannon
- Primary Fire Beam width increased from 0.15 to 0.2 meters
Damage:
Role Passive Changed
- Reload speed bonus on elim removed
- [NEW] Role Passive: Dealing damage reduces healing received by 20% for 2 seconds
Ashe
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
B.O.B.
- B.O.B. weapon damage increased from 14 to 17
Bastion
Base Stats
- Health increased from 225 to 275
Cassidy
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Deadeye
- Initial damage rate increased from 130 to 150
- Damage rate increased from 260 to 300
Echo
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Focusing Beam
- Width increased from 0.2 to 0.25 meters
Duplicate
- Maximum combined health, including health, armor, and shields, increased from 300 to 350.
Genji
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Dragonblade
- Swing recovery decreased from 0.9 to 0.7
Hanzo
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Storm Arrows
- Damage increased from 65 to 75
- Cooldown reduced from 10 to 8 seconds
Junkrat
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Mei
Base Stats
- Health increased from 250 to 300
Pharah
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Rocket Launcher
- Self-damage percentage decreased from 50% to 25%
- Recovery reduced from 0.85 to 0.8 seconds
- Projectile speed increased from 35 to 40
Jet Dash [NEW]
- Horizontal dash in the direction you’re moving
- 10 second cooldown
- Bound to secondary fire by default
Jump Jets
- 20% weaker
- Cooldown increased from 10 to 14 seconds
- Gives 50% of your fuel back
Concussive Blast
- 25% weaker horizontal knockback
- Range decreased from 8 to 5 meters
- Cooldown decreased from 8 to 5 meters
- Now deals 30 damage
Rocket Barrage
- Now instantly reloads Rocket Launcher
- Now shows spread of the barrage when the show accuracy option is enabled on your crosshair
Hover Jets
- Fuel decreased by 20%
- Speed boost increased by 100%
- Now gives you better aerial maneuverability
- No longer refuels in the air, only will refuel once you land
- Fuel can increase to 200% capacity if filled from Jump Jet and Jet Dash
- Can be used without fuel to slow your descent
Reaper
Base Stats
- Health increased from 250 to 300
Sojourn
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Soldier 76
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Sombra
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Symmetra
Base Stats
- Shields increased from 100 to 150
Photon Projector
- Primary fire beam width increased from 0.15 to 0.2
Torbjorn
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Tracer
Base Stats
- Health increased from 150 to 175
Widowmaker
Base Stats
- Health increased from 175 to 200
Support:
Role Passive Changed
- Regenerative passive now reduces the delay before regen begins by half (2.5 seconds)
Ana
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Baptiste
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Brigitte
Base Stats
- Health increased from 150 to 200
Rocket Flail
- Damage increased from 35 to 45
Illari
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Kiriko
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Kunai
- Base projectile size reduced from 0.18 to 0.15
Lifeweaver
Base Stats
- Health increased from 175 to 200
Lucio
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Soundwave
- Damage increased from 25 to 35
- Knockback increased 12%
- Movement lockout duration increased from 0.3 to 0.45
Mercy
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Guardian Angel
- Active duration on jump and crouch bonus movement cancelation reduced from 1.5 to 1 seconds.
Sympathetic Recovery
- Health recovered from healing dealt increased from 25% to 40%.
Moira
Base Stats
- Health increased from 200 to 250
Biotic Grasp
- Secondary fire damage increased from 50 to 65 damage per second
- Secondary fire target acquisition radius increased from 0.6 to 0.7 meters.
Zenyatta
Base Stats
- Health increased from 75 to 100
- Shields increased from 150 to 175
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By BOBBY ANHALT 30 Jan 2024
