Overwatch 2 Update Buffs Almost Half the Hero Roster

Overwatch 2 just rolled out its mid-Season 9 patch, featuring buffs to almost half of the game’s playable heroes. This update, which also includes the PvE Hero Mastery: Gauntlet game mode, a nerf to the DPS passive, and new features for competitive play, is live in Overwatch 2 right now.

Season 9 of Overwatch 2 introduced some sweeping changes to the shooter with increases to damage, health, and projectiles. Some of these tweaks have been divisive among Overwatch 2 fans, but many agree that the adjustments have made matches more dynamic and engaging.

Now that the season has gone through roughly half its life cycle, Overwatch 2 has implemented a sizable midseason patch. This update dials back the new DPS passive so that it reduces the healing of targets they damage by 15%, rather than 20%, and slightly reduces the size modifier for fast-moving projectiles. However, the patch also buffed 16 out of the 39 current playable heroes – nearly half of the total roster. Baptiste, on the other hand, was the only hero to receive a slight nerf.

Many of these buffs, like those for Ramattra, Sombra, and Illari, increase the heroes’ offensive skills. Heroes like Lifeweaver and Brigitte received increases to their ability to heal, while some underperforming Overwatch 2 characters like Reinhardt, Mauga, and Symmetra got buffs to both their offensive and defensive capabilities. Season 10 of Overwatch 2 is giving Wrecking Ball a small rework, so fans can expect more character adjustments next month.

Beyond these updates, the Overwatch 2 mid-Season 9 patch also added a new game mode called Hero Mastery: Gauntlet. This group PvE version of Hero Mastery has fans team up with two other players to defend their towers from 10 waves of enemy bots while collecting energy and purchasing upgrades. Though the game mode is sticking around, fans can earn exclusive rewards via a limited-time event launching alongside the patch.

Blizzard has also added even more new UI displays to go with Overwatch 2 Seas