A new patch and a new season of Competitive Play are both live in Overwatch! Patch 1.8.0.
After being launched on the PTR earlier this month, the new patch is now available on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The update brings some exciting changes to the game that should spice things up, including:
- Game Browser — This new feature is an extension of Overwatch‘s Custom Game mode, allowing you to adjust the settings on various maps, modes, and heroes, creating your own tailor-made server
- Capture the Flag — Capture the Rooster has been Overwatch’s most popular brawl, and now it’s here to stay as the ongoing Capture the Flag game mode in the Arcade
- Hero Updates — Plenty of improvements have been made to Overwatch’s heroes, including Bastion, which is now stronger and more flexible with the move of power from Configuration: Sentry to Recon
Check out the blog post for details on these changes and more, including a video on the new Game Browser. You can also read the full patch notes here.
Competitive Play Season 4
Along with the new patch comes a new season of Competitive Play, and the Overwatch developers have made a few improvements to kick things off. Here are a few highlights:
- High-level players are required to play more competitive matches to avoid inactivity decay, improving the accuracy and prestige of skill ratings
- Only players who reach the top 500 leaderboard at the end of the season will be rewarded, providing incentive to keep up a high skill rating
- To encourage competition, skill ratings below 500 will no longer be displayed
You’ll find an overview of all the changes affecting the new Competitive Play season in this blog post.