New Overwatch Update Nerfs Mercy And Junkrat; Patch Notes Released

Blizzard has released a new update for Overwatch, and it implements some of the balance changes we've heard about recently. Specifically, it targets both Mercy and Junkrat for nerfs, while also introducing a nice new feature for those playing the game on Xbox One X.

The biggest change in the new patch, which is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, targets Mercy's Resurrect ability. As game director Jeff Kaplan explained in a recent developer update, Blizzard has been concerned with the impact it has, particularly when used in conjunction with her Ultimate, Valkyrie. Now, when her Ultimate is active, Resurrect is no longer instant, and you don't gain a bonus Resurrect charge. Additionally, Valkyrie now only lasts 15 seconds (down from 20), and the speed bonus that Guardian Angel gets has been reduced by 50%.

"Mercy's recent Resurrect changes have helped in allowing enemies to have more counter play in dealing with her, but she was able to use Resurrect through Valkyrie enough to largely mitigate the impact of the previous changes," Blizzard explained on its official forums. "Additionally, we're toning back the amount of mobility Valkyrie provides through Guardian Angel and reducing its duration to overall reduce the power of this ability."

As for Junkrat, his Concussion Mine now has damage falloff. In other words, it deals less damage to targets further away from the mine than those who are closer to it. Blizzard said, "Junkrat has been enjoying the flexibility his double-charge Concussion Mine provides, but it has now become a bit too easy to throw out huge bursts of damage in a large area. With this change he can still dish out similar damage but he must now be more accurate with his tosses."

Also in this patch, the Xbox One version introduces 4K support for those playing on an Xbox One X, and new pre-order bonuses for purchasing World of Warcraft's Battle for Azeroth expansion are available. The only other change is a bug fix involving D.Va's Black Cat skin; her face and hair textures should now load properly. Possible changes to Symmetra, Mei, and Hanzo are not included in the update. The full patch notes follow at the bottom of this post.

This update is now live on all platforms. We don't yet know when it's coming, but a Lunar New Year event is on the way, as are several other returning events. Overwatch recently added the new Blizzard World map, as well as a bunch of new skins and cosmetics that can be obtained through the base loot box.

Overwatch Patch Notes

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Pre-purchase Goodies

When you pre-purchase a Digital Deluxe version of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth you'll receive several Warcraft-themed goodies in Overwatch. Show your faction pride on the battlefields of tomorrow with emotes for Tracer; Horde- and Alliance-themed voice lines for Torbjörn; Anduin, Jaina, Sylvanas, and Saurfang sprays; and Kul Tiras and Zandalar player icons.

General Updates

General

• [XB1] Added 4K support for Xbox One X

Hero Updates

Junkrat

• Concussion Mine
  • Now will deal less damage to targets farther away from the explosion's center

Developer Comments: Junkrat has been enjoying the flexibility his double-charge Concussion Mine provides, but it has now become a bit too easy to throw out huge bursts of damage in a large area. With this change he can still dish out similar damage but he must now be more accurate with his tosses.

Mercy

• Valkyrie
  • No longer makes Resurrect instant
  • No longer grants a bonus Resurrect charge
  • The speed bonus Guardian Angel receives when activating Valkyrie has been decreased by 50%
  • Duration reduced from 20 seconds to 15 seconds

Developer Comments: Mercy's recent Resurrect changes have helped in allowing enemies to have more counter play in dealing with her, but she was able to use Resurrect through Valkyrie enough to largely mitigate the impact of the previous changes. Additionally, we're toning back the amount of mobility Valkyrie provides through Guardian Angel and reducing its duration to overall reduce the power of this ability.

Bug Fixes

Heroes

• Fixed a bug that caused D.Va's face and hair textures to not load when her Black Cat skin was equipped

from GameSpot http://ift.tt/2Eq7CWe