Overwatch 2 Retail Patch Notes – May 20, 2025

✦AI summary2w

Season 16 update featuring the Street Fighter 6 collab, the introduction of Freja to the Stadium, and significant balance adjustments to several heroes and Stadium-specific items.

▲Buffs20

Hazard
- Vault:Ledge climb animation time reduced, allowing Hazard to vault over ledges more quickly for better chasing and escaping.0.6→0.4 s
- Anarchic Zeal:Spike Guard's lifesteal increased to make the perk more effective for survivability.25%→40% %
Reinhardt
- Fire Strike:Fire Strike projectile speed increased to make it more reliable at range.25→30 m/s
- Fire Strike:Recovery time reduced, improving the responsiveness of the ability.0.63→0.45 s
GenjiShuriken:Projectile speed increased, making Shurikens easier to land.60→75 m/s
Hanzo
- Storm Bow:Draw time reduced back to original values to improve performance.0.8→0.72 s
- Sonic Disruption:Health pack hack duration increased, making the perk more useful for area control.12→30 s
ReaperDire Triggers:Recovery time reduced to align with primary fire, improving combat flow.0.7→0.5 s
Soldier: 76
- Stim Pack:Anti-heal removed from Stim Pack, though it now deals 75 self-damage on use.Yes→Removed
- Stim Pack:Stim Pack is now activated by using Weapon Swap for a more intuitive control scheme.Old Mapping→Weapon Swap
Widowmaker
- Widow's Kiss:Maximum spread reduced, improving accuracy of primary fire.3→2 degrees
- Widow's Kiss:Primary fire damage increased to make her more viable across various maps.13→14
- Deadly Deux:Venom Mine's bonus damage significantly increased.50%→100% %
IllariSolar Rifle:Healing beam range increased, allowing for safer positioning.15→20 m
Lifeweaver
- Healing Blossom:Auto-charge rate increased to make weaving damage and healing less punishing.100%→125% %
- Superbloom:Number of hits required to trigger Superbloom reduced.20→16
Stadium
- Competitive points for winning a match increased to 20.Unknown→20 points
- Added a system to grant additional cash in rounds where both teams have low funds.→Added
General Items
- Geneticist's Vial:Increased health granted after reviving.200→250 HP
- Electrolytes:Now provides 100 Overhealth every time the player respawns.Start of round only→Every respawn HP

▼Nerfs8

FrejaQuick Dash:Quick Dash cooldown increased to reduce airtime and the frequency of explosive bolts.3.5→4 s
GenjiShuriken:Maximum ammo for Shurikens reduced, requiring more frequent reloading.30→24
Pharah
- Drift Thrusters:Movement speed while using Barrage reduced by 20% to allow for more counterplay.100%→80% %
- Concussive Implosion:Distance pulled reduced by 50% to prevent too consistent kill secures.100%→50% %
Sombra
- Translocator:Fade in time increased to provide more counterplay windows.0.15→0.3 s
- Translocator:Duration of stealth reveal upon taking damage increased.1→1.3 s
General Items
- Champion's Kit:Cost increased to discourage excessive stacking of Ability Power.13500→14000 gold
- Champion's Kit:Ability Power reduced to promote item diversity.40%→35% %

◆Other changes1

StadiumMercy Rule now triggers at a lower cash disparity to ensure more 3-0 games end correctly.15,000→10,000 gold

subjects affected (14)

tap to see balance history

Hazard2 Reinhardt2 Freja1 Genji2 Hanzo2 Pharah2 Reaper1 Soldier: 762 Sombra2 Widowmaker3 Illari1 Lifeweaver2 Stadium3 General Items4

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official notes

Overwatch® · May 21, 2025

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