Overwatch®

Gameplay Trailer launched on August 13, 2025, introducing As as a new playable hero in Overwatch 2. The content continued to expand with the introduction of Shion, a formidable new hero from the Hashimoto Clan, on June 9, 2026. Players also enjoyed exclusive rewards and skins during the anniversary celebration, featuring a Legendary 10-Years Cheers Tracer skin and Anniversary Loot Boxes with a generous selection of items.

• New Content:
  • New hero: Shion, added on June 9, 2026.
  • New map: Busan Sanctuary, available since October 28, 2025.
  • New gameplay mode: Stadium with Payload Race, introduced on August 26, 2025.
• Seasonal Events:
  • Overwatch 10th Anniversary Celebration launched on May 12, 2026, featuring throwback modes and community challenges.
  • Season 2 launched on April 16, 2026, introducing new seasonal content and a battle pass.
  • Multiple seasonal events released, including Season 18 on August 26, 2025, and Season 20 on December 9, 2025.

• Gameplay Modes:
  • Classic Mode returned from May 12 to May 18, 2026.
  • Mystery Showdown and Golden Mode also made brief returns in May 2026.

• Balance Changes:
  • Hero balance adjustments were made on April 16 and February 11, 2026.

• Quality of Life:
  • Long-time players received login loot rewards on May 12, 2026, recognizing their commitment over the years.

New heroes and gameplay modes launched in Overwatch 2 significantly expanded the game's roster and experience during this period. Notably, five new heroes became playable, including Curious About the Past, Discovering It for the First Time, and Freja, all introduced on May 21 and May 1, 2025. Additionally, players gained access to new gameplay modes, such as Payload Race and Clash, enhancing the competitive landscape.

• New Heroes: Five new heroes joined the roster:
  • Curious About the Past (May 21, 2025)
  • Discovering It for the First Time (May 21, 2025)
  • Freja (May 1, 2025)
  • Ban System (April 22, 2025)
  • Builds (April 15, 2025)
• New Gameplay Modes: Several new modes were introduced:
  • Payload Race (May 1, 2025) featuring two new maps
  • Clash (August 14, 2024)
  • Additional unnamed modes launched in April and May 2025
• Seasonal Events: A variety of new seasonal content and battle passes were released:
  • Season 12 (August 14, 2024)
  • Season 16 (April 22, 2025)
  • Season 17 (June 25, 2025)
• Balance Changes: Frequent hero balance adjustments were made throughout the year, including multiple updates in May 2025, ensuring the gameplay remained competitive.

• Ranked System Updates: Significant changes to the competitive play structure were implemented in May 2025, affecting how players engage with ranked matches.

• Anniversary Celebrations: Special events celebrated the anniversary of Overwatch 2 with exclusive rewards and cosmetics, notably on May 21 and March 11, 2025.

New heroes dominated the first year of Overwatch 2 with the introduction of Illari, a new Support hero, on August 10, 2023, along with several other significant characters like Mythic Prisms and together, both available by April 2024. The year also saw the launch of new maps, such as Runasapi and Hanaoka, enriching the gameplay experience.

• New Heroes:
  • Illari launched on August 10, 2023.
  • Mythic Prisms launched on April 16, 2024.
  • together launched on April 17, 2024.
  • Player Surveys launched on April 10, 2024.
  • new Jade Weapon Variants launched on February 12, 2024.
• New Maps:
  • Runasapi launched on June 20, 2024.
  • Hanaoka, inspired by Hanamura, launched on April 16, 2024.
  • Samoa! launched on October 6, 2023.
• New Modes:
  • Clash mode debuted on March 19, 2024, alongside two new maps.
• Seasonal Events:
  • Numerous seasons launched, including Season 8 on June 28, 2024, and Season 7 on October 10, 2023, featuring new battle passes and limited-time rewards.
• Balance Changes:
  • Ongoing hero balance adjustments were made throughout the year, including significant updates on July 25, 2024, and June 28, 2024.