Summary
Players are hyped forOverwatch 2’sSeason 8 update. For one thing, they can look forward to the official release ofnew tank hero and former Baptiste ally, Mauga. As such, some may be overlooking even more significant updates coming to the game come Season 9. The upcoming changes will overhaul the game’s ranked system and give players even more ways to show off their competitive progression.
The lead director and designer ofOverwatch 2unveiled the game’s roadmap back in May, which gave fans a glimpse of upcoming changes and additions and when they can expect them to happen. The team has delivered on their promises so far, albeit with mixed results. Players weren’t happy about the paywalls for Story Missions andOverwatch 2’s scarce Hero Mastery selection. However, there have been some high points recently, like Roadhog’s latest rework and the enjoyable free event missions that came in recent seasons. This time, theOW2team is gearing up for big competitive rework in Season 9.
Overwatch 2’s Competitive Mode Will be Overhauled in Season 9
TheOverwatch 2devs are listening intently to player feedback, as some of thecompetitive reworks inOverwatch 2’s Season 9 updatewill have features that players have been asking for since release. Here’s what one can expect when they queue up for ranked in the next season.
Instant Rank Progression Updates
Overwatchdid away with theSkill Rating systemin favor of one that will inform players of their progression after five wins or 15 losses. The intended effect of this could be for players to just keep grinding and not be phased by rank depletion if they lose games. However, fans just grew frustrated over the lack of transparency of their current rating. After all, some players could go through a slew of games only to frustratingly find that they’ve ranked down.
Season 9’s competitive update aims to fix this issue by showing players how far they are from the next rank after every match. It’s reminiscent of the old SR system, but the devs promise that this will be more transparent, as it will also present other factors that affect the player’s rating, like a win streak and calibration.Overwatch 2’s reward progressstarting from Season 9 will also be in real-time, so players no longer have to wait until the end of the season to see how many competitive points they’ve earned.
Emerald Weapons: A New Way to Show Off Ranked Experience
Gold Weapons have shown a player’s ranked experience since the firstOverwatch. While these do look great, they’ve lost their shine in recent times. Almost anyone who’s played ranked a lot in the past year likely hasGold Weaponsfor their main heroes.
Come season 9, players will have shiny new Emerald Weapons to work towards. These can be bought using competitive points, just like Gold Weapons. However, competitive points that players earn will be converted into legacy credits after each season. As such, Emerald Weapons offer a more accurate portrayal of a player’s proficiency in ranked, as the points needed to buy them can’t be stockpiled across multiple seasons. Players are incentivized to either win to get more competitive points or get more games in to earn their Emerald Weapon.
The Ultimate Rank and the Return of Placements
More players are getting better at the game, saturating the highestcompetitive rank inOverwatch 2: Grand Master. Ultimate, the new division, will further distinguish the elite competitors from the rest of the player base. With instant rank progression back in the game, it’s only natural for placements to make a comeback. Just like in the first game, players will need to go through 10 matches after a soft rank reset every season to get their initial rating.
Competitive grouping restrictions will be loosened in Season 9, which means Bronze players can queue up with their Platinum or even Diamond friends. However, it will take more time to get a game this way, as the system will have to find a similarly imbalanced enemy team.
