After Blizzard posted to YouTube highlighting Overwatch 2‘s seasonal changes, some players were left confused regarding the changes made to competitive. Within this article you can familiarize yourself with the changes made before putting your Overwatch 2 Competitive placement on the line.
New Placement System
In previous seasons players were required to win 5 games to place within Overwatch 2 Competitive game mode. Whereas you now have to complete 10 games to be placed within a skill division regardless of victory or defeat. After every placement game players will now be presented with a predicted rank.
New Progression System
Obviously players who play Overwatch 2 Competitive are familiar with the card system, where players were required to win 5 games to unveil their ranking. In season 9, the card system has been scrapped. Instead, players now receive a new ranking at the end of every game. They raise you a percentage based off of contributing factors they have coined ‘modifiers’ which can be viewed after every match.
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- Players will now be able to view their rank progression after every Competitive game.
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- Overwatch 2 Competitive now has ‘modifiers’ to explain your rank progression.
New Competitive Rank Currency
Overwatch 2 Competitive now features an all new currency. Any competitive points players had before this season have now been converted into ‘Legacy Competitive Points’. You can still purchase gold weapons with these, but at the moment there is no way of obtaining them.
Jade Weapons
The new currency is used to buy the all new Jade weapon skin. Oddly enough, the Jade skin will only be obtainable with competitive currency for one year. After which players competitive currency will be made legacy currency once more.
Gold Weapons
While gold weapons are still obtainable using legacy currency, you must have gained at least 3,000 competitive points before Season 9. Overwatch developers have taken to X, announcing that there will be a way to obtain gold weapons with the release of season 10. This method will utilize the new Overwatch 2 Competitive currency.
We're working on the ability for players to buy Golden Weapons with the new, 2024 Competitive Currency. Currently planning on releasing the change in Season 10, but feel free to save up for Golden Weapons in the meantime! We'll share more details on release timing as we get them.
— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) February 13, 2024
Gameplay
Gameplay changes in Season 9 were made with four factors in mind. These factors were highlighted in Blizzard’s reveal video hosted by content creators known within the Overwatch 2 community. Here were the following considerations made:
- Making shooting feel better and more consistent.
- Reduce effectiveness of burst damage. (Ex: Reaper)
- Lowering healing pressure that comes with increased health pools and landing shots.
- Find a way to cut through sustain during team fights.
Healing
Additionally, Blizzard has made major changes to the health of all Heroes in Overwatch. Damage and Tanks have finally gained the ability to passive heal after 5 seconds of not receiving damage. Healers will begin passive healing after 2.5 second. All roles will heal at a rate of 20 health per second. Also expect to see more health on most heroes as there have been changes to the health pool. (Pictured Below)
Overwatch 2 Competitive health pool changes.
Projectile
To demonstrate Blizzard’s desire to make shooting more consistent, they have increased nearly all damage dealing hit scan and projectile radiuses. While this may make you shots more likely to hit, your enemies are subject to the same benefit.
Damage Passive Ability
Damage Heroes now reduce their enemies passive healing by 20% for two seconds after landing any damage. Heroes with area effect damage, such as Mei, are incredibly powerful this season. Due to the lack of cooldown on the new damage passive ability, you could potentially debuff the entire opposing team at once.
Sources: Overwatch 2 | Season 9 Gameplay & Competitive Breakdown – Blizzard Games
