Overwatch getting new map and deathmatch Arcade modes - try them out today on the PTR
Overwatch players can run around Widowmaker's formerly happy home, disrespecting her decor choices.
A major Overwatch update is currently in testing on the PTR, if PC players care to join the fun.
As detailed in the developer update video and patch notes below, the update brings some familiar shooter modes to Overwatch's Arcade - deathmatch and team deathmatch.
Deathmatch is a free for all eight player mode in which the first player to 20 points wins, ending the match. Players earn one point for killing an opponent - and lose one point if they die by any means other than being killed by another player (falls, for example).
The team version is a 4v4 mode which ends when one team reaches 30 points. Again, a kill is worth one point and a self-inflicted or environment death will reduce your tally by one. However, if a downed players is resurrected before they respawn, the point for their death will be removed from the opposition team's score.
Hopefully this resurrection mechanic means more players practice with Mercy and the quickplay queues for other modes will be less likely to be filled with three Genji's screaming someone go healer. That said, oh boy: introducing non-objective game modes isn't going to help Overwatch's problem with randos who insist on playing ever mode like deathmatch and ignoring the payload.
Anyway, you can play both deathmatch modes on Hanamura, Horizon Lunar Colony, Temple of Anubis, Volskaya Industries, Dorado, Eichenwalde, Hollywood and King’s Row. Black Forest, Castillo, Ecopoint: Antarctica and Necropolis will also be playable in team deathmatch mode only. These maps have been modified slightly to suit the new modes. Finally, there's also a new map for deathmatch called Château Guillard.
"Château Guillard is located near Annecy in southeastern France. For hundreds of years, it was the estate of the influential Guillard family, until it gradually fell into disrepair after the family's power waned in the decades after the Revolution. Recently, the château has found a new owner: the Talon agent Widowmaker, who has returned to her family's ancestral home."
As well as new content the update fixes a number of bugs and continues Overwatch's eternal balancing. Of particular note is the promised Junkrat buff, and improvements to Roadhog's survivability. Widowmaker and Orisa have also been tweaked.
The update also makes changes to how Overwatch processes patches. That means this update is bigger than usual, but future ones will be smaller and faster to implement. The hero updates are posted below, with the full patch notes further down the page.
Overwatch hero updates
- Junkrat
- Concussion Mine
- Junkrat can now hold two mines
- RIP-Tire
- 'Tire’s movement speed has been increased by 30%
- There is no longer a time limit when wall climbing
Developer Comments: Giving the Junkrat the ability to store two concussion mines adds some much-needed flexibility and versatility to his kit, particularly when using the mines for mobility. RIP-Tire’s damage has always been very good, but it was often difficult to steer the tire into position before it was destroyed. Increasing its speed will allow players to effectively detonate the tire more often and decrease the amount of time that Junkrat is vulnerable while controlling it.
- Orisa
- Fusion Driver
- Projectile speed increased by 20%
- Protective Barrier
- Barrier size increase by 20%
- Barrier shape has been changed to allow for more coverage from enemies that are below the barrier
Developer Comments: The projectile speed increase helps Orisa’s consistency, especially at medium ranges (or further). Her barrier size has been increased to better protect her team, and the new shape makes the shield more effective when it’s used on slopes or on top of objects (such as a payload).
- Roadhog
- Take a Breather
- Can now be used while moving
- Damage taken while healing has been reduced by 50%
Developer Comments: These changes help Roadhog be much more aggressive when looking for hook targets or blocking for his team. The combination of these effects significantly increases Roadhog’s sustainability and survivability.
- Widowmaker
- Grappling Hook
- Cooldown has been reduced from 12 seconds to 8
- Venom Mine
- Affected targets are now visible through walls (to you as Widowmaker only)
Developer Comments: Widowmaker is extremely powerful in the right hands, but her abilities often felt a little weak. The Grappling Hook cooldown reduction means she is more likely to have it available when she needs to escape. Venom Mine is intended to be an early warning system, uncovering enemies that are attempting to flank her or her team. With this change, she can see enemies when they trigger the mine, even if they’re on the other side of a wall.
Overwatch PTR update, August 10 - full patch notes
- New game modes: deathmatch and team deathmatch
- Two new game modes have been added to the Arcade: Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch.
- Both modes will be available for play in Custom Games.
- New map
- Château Guillard
- General
- A number of data format changes have been implemented
- User Interface
- Added an “Outline Opacity” option under the custom reticle settings (found under Controls > Options > Advanced), which allows players to control the opacity of the black outline surrounding the reticule
- Bug fixes
- General
- Fixed a bug that occasionally required the Capture Point progress bar to progress past the second tick mark before being activated
- Heroes
- Fixed a bug that could cause D.Va's black ejection screen to briefly reappear after being ejected from her mech
- Fixed a bug causing D.Va’s Light Gun to use the wrong texture while outside of her mech when the Junker skin was equipped
- Fixed a bug that caused D.Va’s hair to stand straight up on the Hero Select screen when her Cruiser was equipped
- Fixed a bug causing the lights on the back of Doomfist’s gauntlet to incorrectly indicate full ammo when his Hello emote was activated
- Fixed a bug that prevented the area-of-effect circle for Doomfist’s Meteor Strike from being visible to all players
- Fixed a bug preventing the height from Doomfist’s Meteor Strike from being high enough to reach certain locations
- Fixed a bug that was preventing Doomfist’s Rocket Punch from connecting with enemy players that were moving up an incline
- Fixed a bug that caused Hanzo’s arrow to disappear when his Meditate emote was active
- Fixed a bug preventing Orisa’s “Overclocked” achievement from being granted, even after the criteria was met
- Fixed a bug causing Sombra’s teeth to be visible while her Stealth ability was active when her Los Muertos skin was equipped
- Fixed a bug causing Sombra’s reload animation to play even when interrupted
- Maps
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to reach unintended locations on Ecopoint: Antarctica
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to see past the map’s background on Black Forest
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to reach unintended locations on Black Forest
- Fixed a bug that caused the announcer to say “Traveling to Dorado” when joining Castillo
- Fixed a bug that prevented some equipment (vents, pipes, etc.) from properly connecting to the walls of the power plant on Dorado
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to reach unintended locations on Hanamura
- Fixed an issue that caused sprays to display incorrectly on the crane on the Horizon Lunar Colony
- Fixed a bug that could cause A.I. heroes to get themselves stuck while traveling to the Well Capture Point on Ilios
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to reach unintended locations on Ilios
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to reach unintended locations on Oasis
- Fixed a bug that prevented Pharah’s Jump Jet from recharging while perched on doorframes in Oasis
- Fixed a bug that prevented doorframes from being visible and lacking collision on the Practice Range
- User Interface
- Fixed a bug in the Options > Controls menu that prevented the asterisk (which normally indicates that changes have been made) from being removed from the hero’s dropdown after controls have been set to default
- Fixed a bug causing the Back button to disappear when scrolling through the list of available games in the Game Browser
- Fixed a bug that prevented grouped players from appearing linked in the tab menu during a Custom Game