Overwatch 2 Spotlight has finally arrived, bringing the hype for the next seasons on the way, starting with the release of Season 15 in just a week.
Whether you watched the showcase start to end, or missed out on the live, here’s everything you need to know about what’s next for Overwatch in 2025.
Rank Reset and Rewards
With the introduction of season 15, competitive ranks will see a reset, allowing for a fresh start to allow for adaptation with the new changes coming to competitive gameplay. Not to fear, though, as once you climb the ladder back to your rank, you’ll be rewarded with the return of rank weapon charms (for plat and above) and the return of rank hero icons. Players have this unique Overwatch 1 cosmetic to look forward to, with the return of showing off their rank in style. The weapon charms will be available in Season 16, after ranks have been tracked in Season 15.
Additionally, drives will stay going into the new season, with the next editions featuring a purple and orange style, perfect to match with the brand new Galactic Weapons competitive reward. As usual, current competitive points and the Jade Weapons will be retired to legacy points, with new points being able to purchase the shiny Galactic Weapons.
Oh, and we can’t forget our favorite new Broadcaster Reinhardt and his instant replay feature coming soon!
Perks
The great change that we were all waiting for has been revealed: Perks!
A nod to the former PvE ideas that originated with the release of Overwatch 2, Perks offer a chance for heroes to practice adapting on the spot in their games.
After reaching their ultimate, players will have a chance to choose between two minor perks that can change and enhance their gameplay mid-game.
Whether it's choosing to Nano Boost yourself as Ana or reversing your Concussive Blast on Pharah, these perks can be the fight turning adjustments you need. The development team describes them as “a boost to warm you up.”
After unlocking this minor perk, players can unlock their major perk, a more drastic change to their gameplay. These changes will allow for hero abilities to change for the entire match, and will allow for a new playstyle for you to master. If a player swaps heroes, their perk level will reset.
Loot Boxes and Shop Updates
While players can expect to see new shop skins, as is the custom with new seasons, they will also be treated to the return of loot boxes! Boxes can be earned on the free track of the battle pass, as well as through weekly challenges and rewards.
This year will also see a new collaboration with Le Sserafim, the award winning k-pop group that dominated the Overwatch shop in 2023. Players can expect new skins and cosmetics for their favorite heroes to game in style!
New Game Modes, Hero Bans, and Map Queues
Hero specific gameplay isn’t the only thing coming to Overwatch 2 with the introduction of perks. The game is now introducing hero bans, specific map queues, and a new playable gamemode: Stadium.
Hero bans will be arriving in Season 16, with the development team saying the goal is to “punch(es) up at the strong or frustrating heroes, without punching down on weaker, niche picks.” Map voting will be coming to the game after hero bans, so players can expect to see this change in later seasons. Both hero bans and map voting will be exclusive to competitive play.
Stadium is a new MOBA-like gamemode that puts players into a best-of-seven gauntlet of multiple different game types. This “ultimate battleground for strategy,” as put by Aaron Keller, is set to launch in April’s Season 16 debut.
Stadium brings to the table a new layer of depth, introducing mods. These mods are purchased with coins earned after each round, and are used to enhance and build your hero to take on the next stage.
6v6 and Overwatch: Classic
Overwatch: Classic was a hit among the Overwatch community, throwing players back to the early stages of the game they know and love. From the original 21 characters to Moth Meta and the release of Doomfist, the 6v6 love has been reignited among the masses.
To keep up with this excitement, the Overwatch team has announced that GOATS will be the next meta taking over Overwatch: Classic, bringing back the loved (or feared) three-tank-three-support lineup that dominated competitive lobbies.
Speaking of competitive, 6v6 will be receiving its own competitive queue. Players that missed and preferred this style will now be able to jump back in and compete. There will be no role queue, but there will be a limit of two tanks per team, allowing players the flexibility to experiment with new comps in a balanced environment.
Mythics, Cosmetics, and New Heroes
The spotlight showcase wasn’t done with rolling out big announcements, revealing that Season 15 would include the play-test for the newest DPS hero: Freja.
Freja hails from the snowy land of Denmark, equipped with a cape that allows her to updraft and glide over the battlefield and a crossbow-esque weapon that can shoot multiple arrows, or unleash a charged shot on her enemies. Similar to Hanzo or Lifeweaver, Freja has a quick dash ability that allows her mobility across the map, and she also wields an ultimate that rounds enemies up with a bola before detonating.
Freja isn’t the only new hero making their debut in the coming months. Hero 44, set to be released in Season 18, also has been teased—a water-wielding Chinese hero code-named "Aqua."
But wait, there’s more! The development team took this chance to show us all that's in store for mythic skins and weapons this year. Here’s a timeline of what to expect moving forward.
Season 15 Mythic Skin: Zenyatta
Season 15 Mythic Weapon: Widowmaker
Season 16 Mythic Skin: Juno
Season 16 Mythic Weapon: Mercy
Season 17 Mythic Skin: D.Va
Season 17 Mythic Weapon: Reaper
Overwatch Esports
To wrap up the Spotlight, we received an update on the future of Overwatch Esports.
This year, OWCS will be going from two to three stages, adding more live events for spectators to watch and cheer on their teams.
OWCS is also introducing promotion and relegation through FACEIT League, allowing for the best of the best teams to compete in OWCS after rising through the ranks of FACEIT. These teams will take on the bottom two teams from the OWCS main season to fight for their spots on the big stage. In addition to this, FACEIT and Calling All Heroes now have ranked divisions, allowing for players of all skill levels to compete and have fun.
We were also reminded of the Partner Teams initiative, bringing new cosmetics and items to the player store so fans can rep their team in style, and directly support their journey through OWCS.
2025 will also feature the debut of OWCS China. Additionally, Australian players are finally eligible for OWCS Pacific, after being excluded in 2024.
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