'Overwatch' Season 2 Release Date and Updates: Game Out Now for PC and XBox One; New Features, Gameplay, Maps and More
Better step up your game, because the second season of "Overwatch" is finally upon us!
Yes, our favorite competitive game sneaked up on the PC and XBox One several days before its predicted launch date of September 6. Game Director Jeff Kaplan quietly confirmed its release on the Battle.Net forums, while its official Twitter account also announced its release for the XBox One. No word out yet as to when the new patch will roll out for the PS4, though players would recall that the shooter game is going free over the weekend from September 9 to 12.
For those unfamiliar with the game, "Overwatch" is a team-based multiplayer shooter game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Players control one of six heroes with predefined moves and abilities. These heroes are classified into four categories: Offense, or the damage-dealers; Defense, or those that control the battlefield and its fortresses; Tank, which absorb enemy damage; and Support, or those that heal and support the team members. Their goal is to either to secure and defend control points (Assault) or deliver payload (Escort) across various maps, from Numbani to Volskaya, before time runs out.
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What to expect from Season 2
So what can players expect from Season 2? First, "Overwatch" hauled its 100-point skill rating system to a hefty one to 5,000 and divided into seven discrete tiers. They've also introduced skill rating decay, which means players above 3,000 should actively maintain their status and engage in at least one competitive match every 7 days, or else they'll lose 50 points for every 24 hours they don't play.
They've also gotten rid of Sudden Death, and instead debuted an improved version of the time bank system. The overall length of each competitive match is now shortened to 60 seconds to make it more challenging for the players. Even the Competitive Point system got a reboot, as players can now earn 10 points for winning a match. Once they reach 6,000, they can no longer earn points for every game won.
Of course, there's no missing the new Eichenwalde map, an abandoned castle in Stuttgart, Germany. It acts as an Assault/Escort hybrid map where one team will escort a battering ram, while another team will defend and fortify the castle.
Other minor updates include slight tweaks to the heroes' abilities, improved user interface, and routine bug fixes. "Overwatch" is pegged at $39 for both PC and XBox One.
Need a little more information? Visit the "Overwatch" Battle.Net forums and Blizzard's thread for more.
