It’s exhausting for me to consider that we’re already in our fourth season of Overwatch 2. It seems like the sport was solely launched a number of weeks in the past. To this point, we’ve had a brand new hero for each season (aside from the third since we had the Antarctica Peninsula map). For Season 4, there will likely be one other newcomer to the squad: Lifeweaver.
The character of the seasonal Overwatch 2 updates has modified. The age-old mannequin of getting so as to add a brand new hero with each season is gone now—as confirmed by Season 3. As a substitute, Blizzard determined to deal with a selected facet with every season. From fan-made Talon maps to epic area opera adventures, Season 4 is stuffed with free rewards, new cosmetics, and limited-time occasions.
The Spotlight of the Season: Lifeweaver
Overwatch 2’s newest help hero, Lifeweaver, guarantees to shake up the meta together with his potential and thrilling equipment throughout teamfights. Overwatch has a giant drawback relating to the shortage of help heroes and gamers nowadays. With that in thoughts, the builders have introduced that the upcoming heroes will all be helps for the subsequent few seasons.
Lifeweaver’s gameplay is utility-focused, and he’s a healer at coronary heart. His Petal Platform ability provides a brand new verticality to fight, which we’ve by no means seen earlier than. In the meantime, his Life Grip skill offers help gamers extra instruments to play with relating to intervening with what different group members are planning on doing on the battlefield. Lifeweaver’s equipment finally depends extra on positioning and tactical gameplay than aiming, so if you happen to’ve obtained unhealthy purpose as I do, the latest hero on the block is perhaps value trying out.
Say Goodbye to Map Swimming pools
In addition to having a brand new hero, one of many extra vital adjustments coming to Overwatch 2 for Season 4 is that the sport is saying goodbye to map swimming pools transferring ahead. Aaron Keller, Overwatch 2’s Sport Director, confirmed they’d now not function the map swimming pools in Season 4 as they purpose to offer a little bit of “freshness” for every season. Blizzard will as a substitute prioritize their efforts on different issues.
Brigitte Receives A Big Rework for Season 4
I used to be as stunned as you all after I heard Brigitte would get a large rework in Season 4. We’ve already seen what’s to be anticipated within the launch trailer for Season 4, and I can’t deny that it seems to be promising. Brigitte has all the time been one of many squishier helps within the roster, however now that she’s obtained 100 restorable armor in her well being pool, hopefully, this implies she’ll be extra tank-like. That is excellent news for help mains; we already lack healers that may take appreciable injury, so now we’ve extra choices.
Listed below are the adjustments you possibly can count on from Briggite’s rework:
- Defend Bash now impacts and stuns a number of enemies.
- Briggite now has 100 restorable armor for her well being pool.
- Briggite’s motion pace is diminished from 30% to fifteen%
- The well being and measurement of Barrier Defend are elevated.
One of many notable adjustments right here is her Barrier Defend. Now that Blizzard has elevated her Barrier considerably, she makes for a superb substitute for Reinhardt.
A New Season, A New Battle Move
You may’t have a brand new season with out a new Battle Move to go along with it! As common, the Premium Battle Move is priced at 1,000 Overwatch Cash—roughly $10. The brand new cross is themed round Starwatch and accommodates a brand-spankin’ new Mythic pores and skin for Sigma. You may unlock Sigma’s Galactic Emperor pores and skin if you’ve reached the final degree of the Premium Battle Move, so that you’ll have to achieve Tier 80 if you wish to declare it for your self.
Should you select to not get the Premium Battle Move, that’s utterly nice—you possibly can nonetheless obtain some rewards from the common Battle Move. Unlocking the tiers requires Battle Move XP, which you’ll must grind for by taking part in the sport and finishing challenges. Some notable objects from the free Battle Move embody the Infinite Seer Mercy pores and skin, the Infinite Annihilator Bastion pores and skin, and 1,500 Overwatch Credit (offered you grind until Tier 80). You can too get Lifeweaver without spending a dime when you unlock Tier 45, in contrast to Premium Battle Move holders, who can instantly acquire Lifeweaver upon buy.
Within the Premium Battle Move, you’ll get many different unbelievable objects, resembling victory poses and spotlight intros, in addition to the Mythic Galactic Emperor Sigma pores and skin. Should you’ve obtained the time to play Overwatch 2 and do all of the tiers, getting the Premium Battle Move is value it. However if you happen to’re not the kind of one who performs video games more often than not or needs to play different video games in addition to Overwatch 2, I like to recommend sticking it out with the free Battle Move till the season ends. As soon as we’re heading to Season 5 and also you’ve performed all of the tiers you may do, that’s when you need to resolve whether or not or not you can purchase the paid model of the Battle cross.
Season 4 Occasions to Be Excited For
Season 4 is brimming with limited-time occasions, making it the proper likelihood so that you can unlock free skins! Listed below are the minigames/occasions you possibly can stay up for:
B.O.B. and Weave
This new limited-time Arcade mode kicks off instantly firstly of Season 4. B.O.B. and Weave is a 3v3 Deathmatch mode the place everybody will get to be Lifeweaver. Utilizing his Life Grip skill, you will need to drag your B.O.B. across the map and get essentially the most eliminations. Do you have to full the Occasion Challenges for this occasion, you possibly can unlock the Epic Cassia Lifeweaver pores and skin.
Talantis
Talantis is a community-made map making its strategy to Arcade for Season 4. It was created in December 2022 throughout the “Twitch Makes Overwatch” livestream. Referred to as the (unofficial) underwater lair of Talon, you possibly can test this map out in Arcade from April 25 to Might 1, 2023.
Starwatch
As I’ve instructed you earlier than, this season’s theme is centered round Starwatch, and what higher strategy to showcase it than by an occasion?
Starwatch: Galactic Rescue is a 4v4 limited-time sport mode the place you will need to align with the Infinite Empire or the Watcher. This is sort of a “The Alliance versus The Horde” World of Warcraft state of affairs, however we’ve a space-themed opera journey as a substitute of orcs and paladins. For this occasion, you’ll be battling in a reworked model of the Horizon Lunar Colony utilizing characters resembling Seer Mercy, House Prince Lucio, Infinite Ace D.Va, and Extraterrestrial Winston.
Starwatch: Galactic Rescue is just like Junkenstein’s Revenge: Wrath of the Bride, albeit with extra PvE and PvP components mixtures. Should you full the Starwatch Occasion Challenges, you’ll be rewarded with free rewards exterior the Premium Battle Move. Because it’ll solely be obtainable from Might 9 to 22, you’ll must act rapidly as soon as the occasion goes reside.
Symmetra Problem
The Symmetra Problem is so simple as it will get. There will likely be a surprising new Symmetra pores and skin set to debut for Season 4, and the most effective half is you may get it without spending a dime. You may full particular Occasion Challenges from Might 23 till Might 29 to acquire the Symmetra Gardener pores and skin.
The Return of Battle for Olympus
Battle for Olympus is Overwatch 2’s first distinctive limited-time mode, and I’m completely happy to report that it’s returning for Season 4. Showcasing a Greek mythology theme, the sport mode options quite a lot of heroes geared up with godly powers. Your objective? To duke it out with different gamers in a free-for-all dying match.
The mode gained’t be round for lengthy, although, because it’ll solely be obtainable from Might 23 to Might 29. Should you hadn’t tried Battle for Olympus when it was launched in Season 2, I extremely suggest you accomplish that now when you possibly can. Decide a Greek god and use their mythic powers to battle in opposition to the opposite gods!
Delight Occasion
Overwatch 2 goes to have fun Delight Month in a giant method. As a substitute of getting simply the same old occasion, Blizzard is bringing Delight into the precise sport world. In a weblog submit, Blizzard acknowledged they needed to do Delight proper—not simply add inclusivity to tick off one of many containers on their checklist or for clout. For the primary time in Overwatch historical past, we can have a legit Delight Occasion for 2023.
There are a number of LGBTQ+ characters in Overwatch’s world. In an Overwatch comedian printed in December 2016, Tracer was confirmed to be a lesbian with the introduction of Emily, her girlfriend. Then, when the “Bastet” quick story was launched, it confirmed that Solder 76 was homosexual. On a more moderen be aware, Lifeweaver—Overwatch 2 Season 4’s latest hero—is revealed to be pansexual.
Little data has been identified about this occasion but, however you possibly can count on to listen to extra from Blizzard earlier than Delight Month kicks off in June 2023.
Season 4 is In Full Swing
Overwatch 2’s Season 4 has been in full swing since its launch on April 11, 2023. Since OW 2 operated on a nine-week seasonal rotation, you possibly can count on the most recent season to final till mid-June 2023.