Overwatch 2 Season 9 Release Date, Patch Notes, Mythic Skin, Rank Reset, Competitive Change, Leaks, Theme, Hero, and more
Overwatch 2 Season 9: Overwatch 2 is one of the most popular and competitive first-person hero shooter games in the world, with millions of players and fans. The game is constantly evolving and updating, with new heroes, maps, modes, skins, and more.
The latest update, Season 9, is expected to launch on February 20, 2024, and it will bring some major changes and improvements to the game. Here is everything you need to know about Overwatch 2 Season 9, including the release date, patch notes, mythic skin, rank reset, competitive change, leaks, theme, and hero.
Overwatch 2 Season 9 Release Date
According to the current countdown for the Season 8 battle pass, Overwatch 2 Season 9 should go live on February 20, 2024, with a fresh new battle pass for players to delve into. Developers haven’t yet confirmed this expected release date, which could vary slightly. However, based on the previous seasons, it is likely that Season 9 will start on a Thursday, around 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM GMT.
Countdown
Patch Notes
The patch notes for Season 9 of Overwatch 2 have reportedly leaked, and, if true, some major changes are coming to the hero shooter. The leaked patch notes suggest that Season 9 will be a massive overhaul of the game, with health buffs, projectile radius increases, ultimate cost increases, damage reduction, and new abilities for several characters.
The patch notes also indicate that Mauga, the newest hero, will receive some balance adjustments, as he has been receiving criticism for being overpowered and causing some players to quit the game. These leaks should be taken with a grain of salt until official announcements are made, but they align with earlier reports of big tank and damage changes in Season 9, indicating that significant gameplay adjustments are on the horizon. Here are some of the highlights of the leaked patch notes:
- All heroes now regenerate 20 health points per second after five seconds of not taking damage. This is a new passive ability for all roles, which will make heroes more resilient and survivable on the battlefield.
- All heroes’ health, armor, and shields have been increased by around 15% to 20%. This means that heroes will have more HP and will be harder to kill. For example, Tracer will go from 150 HP to 175 HP, and Reinhardt will go from 500 HP to 600 HP.
- The cost of ultimates has been increased by 10%. This means that ultimates will charge slower and will be less frequent. This will make ultimates more valuable and impactful, and will also reduce the spamming of ultimates in team fights.
- Damage dealing will reduce healing by 25%. This means that heroes who deal damage will also reduce the healing received by their targets. This will make healing less effective and will encourage more strategic and tactical gameplay.
- There will no longer be reload speed bonuses following eliminations. This means that heroes who get kills will not reload faster, and will have to manage their ammo more carefully. This will reduce the snowball effect of some heroes who can chain kills and reload quickly.
- Projectile size and speed have been increased for most heroes, except for Kiriko, whose projectiles have been decreased in size. This means that projectiles will be easier to hit and harder to dodge, making projectile-based heroes more viable and consistent. Hitscan heroes will also benefit from this change, as their bullets will have larger hitboxes. However, Kiriko’s projectiles will be smaller and faster, making her more skill-based and rewarding.
- Several heroes have received new abilities or changes to their existing abilities. For example, Cassidy has a new ability called Fan the Hammer, which allows him to fire all his bullets in a rapid burst. Winston has a new ability called Primal Rage, which allows him to enter a berserk state and deal more damage and knockback. Mauga has a new ability called Shield Bash, which allows him to charge forward and stun enemies with his shield. These are just some examples of the new abilities that will be added or changed in Season 9.
Mythic Skin
One of the most exciting features of Overwatch 2 Season 9 is the new mythic skin that will be available for players to unlock. The mythic skin is a rare and exclusive cosmetic item that can only be obtained by completing certain challenges and achievements in the game. The mythic skin for Season 9 is called Emerald, and it is a green and gold-themed skin that will make any hero look stunning and majestic.
Overwatch 2 Season 9 New Hero Balance Update Leaked?
— Naeri X 나에리 (@OverwatchNaeri) January 29, 2024
It seems that Daum #Overwatch2 Season 9 was leaked through a professional gamer. This is still in the rumor stage and is not accurate ⚠️
📰Season 9 Hero Balance Patch Noteshttps://t.co/8ebsxzc1qr pic.twitter.com/qYLfwwAVoz
The Emerald skin will be available for all heroes, and it will have different variations and effects depending on the hero. For example, the Emerald skin for Mauga will make his shield and armor glow with green energy, and the Emerald skin for Mercy will make her wings and staff sparkle with gold particles. The Emerald skin will be the ultimate reward for players who complete the Season 9 battle pass and reach the highest tier.
Read Also: Overwatch 2 Season 7 Release Date
Rank Reset
Another major change that will come with Overwatch 2 Season 9 is the rank reset for the competitive mode. The rank reset is a feature that will reset the skill rating (SR) and rank of all players at the start of the new season. This means that players will have to play 10 placement matches to determine their new SR and rank for Season 9.
The rank reset will also affect the leaderboards and the rewards for the competitive mode. The rank reset is a feature that will help to improve the matchmaking and balance of the competitive mode, as it will allow players to start fresh and have a fair chance to climb the ranks. The rank reset will also create more diversity and variety in the competitive mode, as it will encourage players to try new heroes, strategies, and compositions.
Competitive Change
In addition to the rank reset, Overwatch 2 Season 9 will also introduce some competitive changes that will affect the gameplay and rules of the competitive mode. One of the competitive changes is the removal of the role queue and the role lock. This means that players will no longer have to choose a specific role (tank, damage, or support) before entering a match, and they will be able to switch roles and heroes freely during the match.
This will make the competitive mode more flexible and dynamic, as it will allow players to adapt and counter the enemy team’s composition and strategy. Another competitive change is the introduction of the map pool and the map rotation. This means that there will be a limited number of maps available for each mode (assault, escort, hybrid, and control) in the competitive mode, and these maps will change every week. This will make the competitive mode more diverse and interesting, as it will expose players to different maps and scenarios.
Leaks
Overwatch 2 Season 9 has been the subject of many leaks and rumors, as fans and players are eager to know more about the upcoming update. Some of the leaks have been confirmed by the developers, while others are still unverified and speculative.
Some of the leaks that have been confirmed are the new hero Mauga, the new map Busan, the new mode Push, and the new event Lunar New Year. Some of the leaks that are still unconfirmed are the new hero Echo, the new map Havana, the new mode Extraction, and the new event Archives. These leaks should be taken with caution, as they may not be accurate or reliable. However, they do provide some hints and clues about what to expect from Overwatch 2 Season 9.
Hero
The most anticipated feature of Overwatch 2 Season 9 is the new hero that will join the roster. The new hero is Mauga, a tank hero who is a member of Talon and a former ally of Baptiste. Mauga was first introduced in the Baptiste Reunion Challenge comic, where he was shown to be a ruthless fighter who enjoyed killing and causing chaos. Mauga is a heavy-hitting hero who can deal massive damage and absorb enemy fire with his shield. His abilities are:
| Name | Role | Abilities | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mauga | Tank | Berserker, Cage Fight, Overrun, Cardiac Overdrive | A charismatic and cunning Samoan warrior, Mauga thrives in the chaos of the battlefield and lives every day like it’s his last. He can gain temporary health by dealing critical damage, deploy a barrier that traps himself and enemies charging forward and stomp to launch enemies, and reduce damage and heal nearby allies by dealing damage. |
Theme
Overwatch 2 Season 9 will have a theme that will reflect the story and the lore of the game. The theme of Season 9 is called Resistance, and it will focus on the conflict and the struggle between the Overwatch heroes and the Talon villains. The Resistance theme will be evident in the new hero Mauga, who is a Talon operative and a former friend of Baptiste.
The Resistance theme will also be evident in the new map Busan, which is the home of D.Va and the MEKA squad. The Resistance theme will also be evident in the new mode Push, which is a tug-of-war style mode where teams have to escort a robot to the enemy base. The Resistance theme will also be evident in the new event Lunar New Year, which will celebrate the Year of the Dragon and feature new skins, sprays, emotes, and more.
