Season 16 midseason is here with updates, magic, celebrations, and a serious combo of style and substance. Choose your fighter in a hard-hitting collab and join Dokiwatch with a magical Mythic Weapon Skin. Then revisit another Overwatch Classic era in the latest throwback event and don’t miss our month of Pride 2025, filled with a whole lot of heart. Let’s get to it!

Stadium finally opened and Heroes… you answered the call! With 7.8 million hours logged during launch week, Stadium quickly became the most played mode in Overwatch 2, surpassing Quick Play and Competitive. Over 2.3 million matches were played, 206 million items picked, and a jaw-dropping 900 billion Stadium Cash earned in a single week. We love to see it!

Beginning with the addition of Freja this midseason, Heroes will join Stadium more frequently. And because the best way to play is with more Heroes and friends, from May 20 to June 22, we’re giving away an Epic Loot Box when you buddy up and battle it out in two Stadium games with a friend or group in the Better Together challenge. All you have to do is complete the games but wins count as two. So, become OP together and you’ll only need one game to score the loot!
Remember, Stadium isn’t here to replace Quick Play and Competitive, it’s here to expand what Overwatch 2 can be—More heroic. More strategy. More ways to forge your victory. In Season 17 and beyond, there will be Stadium Trials, a “quest”-style system that will introduce random objectives and bonus rewards. Plus, we’ll be debuting Payload Race, a new mode with two new maps to ramp up the action with race-to-the-finish chaos. And just to note some confusion we’ve heard, the two new maps are not King’s Row or Route 66, they’re completely new Payload Race maps set in those iconic locations.

Additionally, you’ll soon be able to import and export builds, so you can bring your best loadout to every match. And we’re exploring an unranked version of Stadium with cross-play group support so more friends can join the fun, no matter what platform they’re on.
Check out our Stadium Reddit AMA or our Past, Present, and Future of Stadium and Stadium by the Numbers Director’s Takes for more. And stay tuned in on our socials for ongoing updates!

Unleash more Dokiwatch magic on the battlefield! Let your healing shine, your kindness inspire, and your plays sparkle with life, because even in her absence from the Heroes of Heart, the spirit of Mercy endures. The Merciful Magitech Mythic Weapon channels the soul of Eleos, the Hamster of Benevolence, and reimagines Mercy’s Caduceus Staff and Blaster through the radiant lens of Magitech might. Rescued after a daring escape, Eleos now brings kindness, healing, and hope to those Heroes still standing against Woe. When you’re defending your team, this charming companion within your weapon ensures that Mercy's Hero of Heart legacy lives on in every beam, every boost, and every act of compassion.
Customize the Mythic Merciful Magitech Weapon Skin across four magical tiers:

• Level One – A Base of Hope: Gilded designs, glowing elements, and intricate Heart engravings bring Mercy’s Magitech legacy to life.
  
• Level Two – Eleos Awakens: Eleos reacts to your actions by perking up, spinning with joy, and celebrating your heroic moments.
  
• Level Three – Flourishes of Mercy: Five randomized flourish animations add whimsy, wonder, and movement to your idle weapon moments.
  
• Level Four – Magitech Mastery: Stunning am

bient VFX fill your every step with sparkles, light, and floating hearts during healing or boosting.

The Merciful Magitech Mythic Weapon Skin is an enchanted love letter to all of you who’ve chosen to heal, protect, and lift your team through the hardest fights. It’s available starting now —so let your light shine, with Eleos by your side!

ROUND ONE – FIGHT! The worlds of Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter 6 collide in an explosive crossover, complete with knockout skins and signature moves in a collab that really packs a punch.
Eight Heroes have been transformed, each embodying the spirit of a Street Fighter 6 icon. Stepping into the ring, we’ve got Legendary Juno as Chun-Li, Kiriko as Juri, Widowmaker as Cammy, Hanzo as Ryu, Zenyatta as Dhalsim, Soldier: 76 as Guile, Winston as Blanka, plus Epic Sigma as M.Bison*.
Choose your fighter (and/or your bundle) with the Ultra Bundle, Mega Bundles 1 & 2, or individual hero skins available in the Shop. Then, complete event challenges to earn exclusive cosmetics and showcase your fighting spirit. If you're looking to channel Psycho Power or send Hadoken-like arrows, this collab is your chance.
Read more in our Overwatch 2 x Street Fighter 6 blog and KO the competition from May 20–June 2.
©CAPCOM

Overwatch Classic returns with the fan-favorite October 2020 Patch, giving 6v6 chaos, returning balance updates, and fantastic teamplay meta vibes. This limited-time mode resurrects original role queue pacing and iconic hero reworks so expect tank duos and team fights that demand skilled coordination.

• Baptiste: Faster shots and increased heals. His primary fire now hits harder, with snappier recovery and even more healing to keep your team alive and kicking.
  
• Brigitte: Buffed up and back in the fray. Increased base health makes Brigitte sturdier than ever, ready to hold the line like a true frontline brawler.
  
• Mei: Chill, freeze, repeat. Mei now regens ammo during Cryo-Freeze and can throw up Ice Walls more often, turning defense into her best offense.
  
• Symmetra: Stronger shields, stronger hold. Symmetra’s base shield boost gives her extra staying power when locking down space.
  
• Widowmaker: Base health adjustments bring Widow into sharper focus, refining her risk-reward balance without dulling her edge.

Complete challenges to earn cosmetics that commemorate this classic era and show off your skill whether you're a veteran reliving glory or a new hero discovering it for the first time. The Overwatch Classic: October 2020 Patch event runs May 20 to June 2, so step into the time machine while it lasts!

Join the celebration of identity, community, and heroes just like you, as Pride returns to Overwatch 2 this June!

Pride 2025 is a moment to reflect, express, and commemorate everyone who makes our world—and our game—stronger. This event is about standing proud and honoring our diverse community. So, we’ll be celebrating our Heroes, players, and stories with heartfelt touches, creative moments, and space to be exactly who you are.

You belong here, and we’re proud to fight by your side.

So, get ready to show your colors, share your love, and battle with Pride as we celebrate all month long. Be sure to check back for more details in our upcoming Pride blog.

Step into a storybook with the Palace Royals Mega Bundle, available in the Shop from June 3–22 and sure to bring drama and romance to every battle.

Royal Princess Mercy leads the cast in a look that blends healing grace with regal beauty and Royal Butler Lifeweaver brings elegance and poise, sweeping allies to safety. Plus, Royal Prince Lucio and Royal Archer Hanzo bring bold color and charm to their royal themes.

These skins are a fairytale collection fit for Heroes who want to fight like royalty and look like it too.

From Stadium updates and brawling as Street Fighters, to lighting up the battlefield with Eleos or reliving the glory days, the back half of Season 16 is packed with reasons to log in, squad up, and play your way. There’s sure to be something for every Hero to keep the magic alive, so we’ll see you in-game!

Midseason is bursting with style, celebration, and surprises as Season 16 continues. Choose your fighter to KO the competition in the Overwatch 2 x Street Fighter 6 collab and join Dokiwatch by unlocking the Mythic Merciful Magitech Mercy Weapon Skin! Then step back into another Overwatch Classic era, reignite the fight with Drives, and dress up like Palace Royals. Plus, Freja enters the Stadium and brings incredible powers that will blow the opponents away!

ROUND ONE – FIGHT! Overwatch 2 x Street Fighter 6 collide for an explosive crossover event, celebrating the heart-pounding action of both worlds. With eight hard hitting skins, emotes, plus cosmetic combos inspired by iconic moves and matchups, this collab brings Street Fighter 6 to the frontlines of Overwatch 2. So, get ready to hit those lightning-fast kicks, charge with Psycho Power, or unleash a Hadoken-like arrow, because every move hits harder with this collab’s fighting flair. It’s time to choose your fighter and KO the competition in the fight for the future.

©CAPCOM

Even in her absence from the Heroes of Heart, the spirit of Mercy endures. The Merciful Magitech Mythic Weapon channels the soul of Eleos, the Hamster of Benevolence, and reimagines Mercy’s Caduceus Staff and Blaster through the radiant lens of Magitech might. Rescued after a daring escape, Eleos now brings kindness, healing, and hope to those heroes still standing against Woe. When you’re defending your team, this charming companion within your Mythic weapon ensures that Mercy's Hero of Heart legacy lives on in every beam, every boost, and every act of compassion.

The nostalgia is real and Overwatch: Classic is back in action! Experience the October 2020 Patch in all its 6v6 glory with returning balance changes, role queue, and heroes like Sigma, Echo, Baptiste, and more. Whether you're a veteran returning home or a new hero curious about the past, this is a classic fight you won’t want to miss.

• Players can now receive an instant notification if a player is already actioned.
  
• Prior to this feature, reporting a player that had already been banned or suspended would not result in any additional information. The Instant Reporting Feedback feature will immediately inform the player of the fact that banned or suspended players have been actioned when they are reported.

Developer comments: Hazard's slower climbing fits his lumbering tank fantasy, but it was a point of friction when trying to chase down or escape from enemies, so we're speeding up how quickly he can vault over a ledge. Additionally, we're boosting Anarchic Zeal’s lifesteal as the current value wasn't effective enough.

Vault - Passive

• Ledge climb animation time reduced from 0.6 to 0.4 seconds.

Anarchic Zeal - Major Perk

• Spike Guard’s Lifesteal is increased from 25% to 40%.

Developer comments: Reinhardt generally does well across the game but falls off in effectiveness at high ranks. We're increasing the speed and responsiveness of Fire Strike to make it more reliable from range.

Fire Strike - Ability 2

• Projectile speed increased from 25 to 30 meters per second.
  
• Recovery time reduced from 0.63 to 0.45 seconds.

Developer comments: Freja has continued to climb in win-rate now that players have become accustomed to her kit. We are partially reverting the Quick Dash cooldown to reduce her airtime and frequency of explosive bolts.

Quick Dash

• Cooldown increased from 3.5 to 4 seconds.

Shuriken - Primary and Secondary Fire

• Ammo reduced from 30 to 24.
  
• Projectile speed increased from 60 to 75.

Developer comments: Hanzo's been underperforming recently so we're reverting his bow draw speed back to its original, faster value. The Sonic Disruption perk isn't picked very often but increasing its duration will make it more useful and require less upkeep to control a health pack.

Storm Bow - Primary Fire

• Draw time reduced from 0.8 to 0.72 seconds.

Sonic Disruption - Minor Perk

• Health pack hack time increased from 12 to 30 seconds.

Developer comments: Drift Thrusters and Concussive Implosion have been too consistent at securing kills. These adjustments will give better opportunities for counterplay when fighting against these perks.

Drift Thrusters - Minor Perk

• Movement speed while using Barrage reduced by 20%.

Concussive Implosion - Major Perk

• Distance pulled reduced by 50%.
  

Developer comments: We're aligning the recovery of Dire Triggers with Reaper’s primary fire to improve the flow when alternating between the two.

Dire Triggers - Major Perk

• Recovery reduced from 0.7 to 0.5 seconds.

Soldier: 76
Developer comments: Stim Pack's button mapping made it difficult to activate, especially in combat. Binding it to Weapon Swap improves the control scheme and removing the anti-heal makes it less punishing to use.

Stim Pack - Major Perk

• Anti-heal removed. Now deals 75 self-damage on use.
  
• Is now activated by using Weapon Swap.

Developer comments: Invisibility is a frustrating mechanic to play against for many, so we're increasing the windows for counterplay. Sombra will now take longer to exit stealth and to disappear after taking damage.

Translocator - Ability 2

• Fade in time increased from 0.15 to 0.3 seconds.
  
• Stealth reveal duration on taking damage increased from 1 to 1.3 seconds.

Developer comments: Widowmaker is a more map-dependent hero than most and now with hero bans restricting her usefulness we're looking to make her viable in more situations.

Widow's Kiss - Primary Fire

• Maximum spread reduced from 3 to 2 degrees.
  
• Damage increased from 13 to 14.

Deadly Deux - Major Perk

• Venom Mine's bonus damage increased from 50% to 100%.