HUGE Changes Coming in Overwatch Season 15 — Perks, Release Date, and More
Overwatch 2 is upping its game in Season 15, bringing multiple new mechanics, new skins, and more information about two upcoming heroes that players can look forward to.
Activision Blizzard is calling 2025 the “next evolution” of Overwatch 2 PvP, introducing the new Hero Perks mechanic and plenty of other changes that will impact the casual game and competitive modes. Here is a full overview of everything coming to OW2 in Season 15, with some extra information about what is set to drop in future seasons.
This season is set to fundamentally alter every level of Overwatch from casual friendlies to professional esports. Let's take a deep dive into everything coming in Overwatch 2 Season 15:
Overwatch 2 Season 15 Start Time and Overview
Overwatch 2 Season 15 starts on Feb. 18. With that, Perks will be added to the game alongside other updates Blizzard is using to improve gameplay, introduce quality of life changes, and “introduce new metas.”
The Pixiu Zenyatta Mythic Hero Skin and the Dame Chance Widowmaker Mythic
Weapon will be released during Season 15 as well. The new Mythic Skins for Juno and D. VA are coming in Seasons 16 and 17, respectively.
What are Perks in Overwatch 2?
Perks are a new, Hero-specific mechanic in Overwatch 2 that will give players more control over how each character plays by introducing branching upgrades two different times as a match progresses.
The developers have split Perks into Major and Minor classifications, with each type changing different abilities to the point where you can entirely swap out something like Orisa’s Javelin Spin for a somewhat familiar Protective Barrier.
Minor Perks serve as decisions that will give you small upgrades early in a match as you build toward the more powerful changes. These tend to give boosts to existing abilities or aspects of a Hero, not changing their overall behavior—think something like a cooldown reduction for a move or adding a new passive to something.
The Major Perks are where things get wild, as they are designed to let players completely shift how their Heroes play once they are unlocked mid-match. These can swap out abilities, give major boosts, or add entirely new mechanics to existing moves. The developers use Torbjorn as a good example of the kind of impact that can come from both Perk types:
- Minor Perk Craftsman: Forge Hammer can restore armor health to allies. Turret repair’s heal is increased by 25%.
- Minor Perk Fully Loaded: Activating Overload fully refills Rivet Gun’s ammo.
- Major Perk Anchor Bolts: Deploy Turret’s throw range is increased by 50 percent and can now attach to walls and ceilings.
- Major Perk Level 3 Turret: Overload transforms your Turret into a level 3 for five seconds.
A few other Major Perk examples include Reaper’s Dire Triggers getting a secondary fire that is better for mid-range combat or Honzo getting his Scatter Arrows back.
“Perks are more than just a mechanic—they’re a fresh way to flex your creativity, adapt your strategies, and rediscover the game you love,” Overwatch 2 lead game designer Alec Dawson said. “We can’t wait to see the builds, plays, and clips you all come up with. This is Overwatch stepping into a new chapter, but still staying true to its heart with teamwork, adaptability, and buckets of fun.”
Overwatch 2 Season 16 - Stadium Mode
As part of Season 16, Blizzard is releasing Stadium, a new, best-of-seven game mode built around earning currency and customizing your heroes as the rounds go on. It will also have casual and ranked options when it goes live in April.
In each round of Stadium, two teams of five will compete in a best-of-seven series where they will earn currency based on their performance in each round. That currency is then used to customize and upgrade your Heroes that act as modifiers to unlock new strategies similar to items in a MOBA.
Blizzard wants Stadium to be a mode that players can enjoy just as much as Quick Play and Competitive. Here is a brief overview of the mode’s key features:
- First OW mode to default to third-person camera (first person is swappable.)
- Best-of-seven rounds, five-on-five teams, with role queue enabled.
- First team to reach four points wins.
- Mercy Rule if you lose the first three rounds in a row.
- Control, Push, and Clash modes.
- Armory to buy “Powers” and Items for your hero.
- Timer for buying items between rounds that swaps periodically.
- Items can be sold, Powers can’t be sold.
- Earn currency between rounds based on your performance. Every player starts with 3,000.
- Bounty System with rewards for eliminating specific players.
- Seven Leagues with five Divisions each for Stadium Ranked.
Overwatch 2’s New Hero Details - Freja and Aqua
As part of the Season 15 overview, Blizzard shared a detailed look at the upcoming hero Freja, and our first look at Hero 44, Aqua.
Freja will join the roster in Season 16 and is a former rescue operative who now acts as a bounty hunter. Using her crossbow, she quickly moves around the map in any direction while shooting explosive or snagging shots at the opponent. A free trial for Freja will take place during Season 15, with more details coming later. However, you will have to wait for her full release, just like with Stadium. Aqua was also revealed for a Season 18 release date. Aqua is a Chinese hero who uses water to “manipulate the battlefield with an innovative playstyle” that will be shown off in the future.
Overwatch 2 Season 15 Competitive Changes
Competitive modes will get an update in Season 15 and beyond, with a new competitive queue, the return of Loot Boxes, and some cosmetics to accompany them. When Season 15 begins on Feb. 18, a ranked reset will take place, and new “competitive” Galactic Weapons will be added to the game for players to unlock with rank Weapon Charms, Player Portraits, and more. Overwatch Classic: GOATS will allow players to jump into one of the most “notorious and memorable” 6v6 metas in a competitive queue too.
Loot Boxes will return in regular and Legendary variations available via the battle pass, weekly, and event rewards, with new cosmetics. Players are guaranteed a Rare or better item in every Loot Box, an Epic within five consecutive Loot Boxes, and a Legendary within 20 consecutive openings.
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