All Overwatch April Fools Changes: Patch, Abilities and More (2024)

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All Overwatch April Fools Changes: Patch, Abilities and More (2024)

The googly eyes have returned, so we're counting all Overwatch April Fools changes — and highlighting the ones that should stay.


Overwatch 2's April Fools' Day event is back, and it comes with a ton of (totally balanced) hero changes. Along with a new game mode, players can expect absurd twists to hero abilities, more googly eyes than ever before and pure, unbridled chaos.

Here's the complete list of all overwatch april fools changes in 2024, our favorites and which ones deserve to stay in the game.

All Overwatch April Fools Changes

D.Va

  • D.Va's Boosters now move backwards.
  • Self-Destruct's knockback increased by 900%

Doomfist

  • Melee attack now gets empowered by Power Block and Meteor Strike.
  • Moves faster during Power Block.

Junker Queen

  • Recalls towards Gracie during Jagged Blade's secondary fire.
  • Lower cooldown on Jagged Blade

All Overwatch April Fools Changes

Mauga

  • HP nerfed from 350 >>> 25.
  • Is 50% smaller.
  • Incendiary Chain Gun ignites enemies who are ‘On Fire'

Orisa

  • Energy Javelin ricochets twice.
  • Energy Javelin explodes on final target.

Ramattra

  • Armor increased from 100 >>> 225
  • Ultimate ability “Annihilation” mapped to ‘Ability 1'.
    • Duration increased 3 >>> 5 seconds.
    • Damage decreased 30 >>> 20 per second.
    • Radius decreased 12 >>> 9 meters.
  • Nemesis Form mapped to ‘Ultimate'.
    • Activates Annihilation on use.
    • Completely heals Ramattra.
    • Pummel Damage increased from 60 >>> 75.
    • Pummel Range increased from 10 >>> 15.

All Overwatch April Fools Changes

Reinhardt

  • Pressing Primary Fire when Barrier is up deflects enemy projectiles.
  • -20% HP after deflecting a projectile.
  • Barrier size becomes 50% smaller after deflecting a projectile.

Roadhog

  • Pig Pen speed increased from 26 >>> 80.
  • Pig Pen damage increased from 0 >>> 40.

Sigma

  • “Accretion” launches a floating rock that crashes down and stuns multiple enemies when you reactivate the ability.
  • Accretion deals 50 damage in a 4-meter radius and stuns affected enemies.

Winston

  • Tesla Canon's Secondary Fire and Primal Rage attacks chain lightning between enemies.

Wrecking Ball

  • New crab update gives Hammond 55% more speed and increased damage whenever you walk sideways.

Zarya

  • Getting bubbled increases your size by x1.75.

Ashe

  • Use Scroll Wheel to call in F.R.E.D.
  • Weapons swapped.

Bastion

  • Turret form is now Bastion's default form.
    • Movement penalty removed.
    • Ammo decreased to 150.

Cassidy

  • New “Wanted” passive gives Cassidy 50 HP after killing a marked enemy.

Echo

  • Increased damage on Focusing Beam when target is within 8 meters.
  • Can only duplicate allies.
    • Removed 300 HP cap.
    • Receives additional 100 Shields.
    • Increased ult charge gain rate.

Genji

  • Perfectly pressing Primary Fire during Deflect turns the deflected projectile into a critical hit.

Hanzo

  • Storm Arrows now fires 5 projectiles per shot.
  • Each projectile ricochets into three new projectiles.

Junkrat

  • Frag Launcher projectiles can now be detonated by pressing Secondary Fire.

Mei

  • Pressing Jump mid-air creates a large ice pillar under Mei.

Pharah

  • Crouching mid-air propels you to the ground.

Reaper

  • Secondary Fire now fires the second Hellfire Shotgun.

Sojourn

  • Disruptor Shot pulls enemies in on deploy.
  • Disruptor Shot can be deployed earlier by pressing E again.

Soldier: 76

  • Can now “run and gun” with the Heavy Pulse Rifle.

Sombra

  • Virus jumps to another nearby enemy if you kill the target.

Symmetra

  • Can only place down “Exit” teleporters.

Torbjorn

  • Turret can now be placed on walls, ceilings and allies!

Tracer

  • Using Recall either takes you to the past or the future.
    • Past: Pulse Rifles firerate is decreased.
    • Future: Pulse Rifles firerate is increased.

All Overwatch April Fools Changes

Widowmaker

  • Grappling Hook now has three charges.
  • Getting headshots while zoomed in replenishes a charge.

Ana

  • Slept enemies slowly float upwards.
  • Enemies take fall damage after waking up.

Baptiste

  • Using Exo-boots launches you forward.
  • Projectiles shot through Amplification Matrix get thrice as fast.

Brigitte

  • Size and Armor increased.
  • Shield Barrier is always in its larger form.
    • Health increased from 250 >>> 700.
  • Rally's movement speed increased.

Illari

  • After using ult, Illari becomes “Solar Installed” when the sun is out.
    • 1.2x faster.
    • 40% less attack charge time.
    • 1.2x bonus healing.

Kiriko

  • Protection Suzu buffs damage, healing, speed and gives 700% more jump height to affected allies.
  • New passive lets Kiriko jump longer mid-air.

Lifeweaver

  • Petal Platform height increased from 8 >>> 20 meters.

Lucio

  • Ultimate Ability knocks up enemies during the beat drop.
  • Sonic Amplifier shoots 5 bullets per volley during Healing Boost.

Mercy

  • Caduceus Blaster removed.
  • Damage Boost ability replaced with “Damage Staff”.
  • Secondary Fire now shoots projectiles out of Mercy's staff.
    • Increased projectile size during ult.
    • +2 to Damage.
    • Can shoot while healing allies.

Moira

  • Biotic Grasp's healing and damage hands are swapped.

All Overwatch April Fools Changes

Zenyatta

  • You can now charge up to 8 orbs with Secondary Fire.
  • Charging Secondary Fire fires projectiles 33% faster.
  • Zenyatta levitates while charging Secondary Fire.

Our Favorite Overwatch 2 April Fools Changes

Torbjorn's Newly-Balanced Turret

This year, Overwatch 2's tallest hero received a fun rework to his Turret which lets it stick to walls, ceilings and even your own teammates!

The funniest balance change this season “balances” Torbjorn's turret on top of moving allies. This totally-not-broken addition is bound to ruin someone's day, but who could stay mad at such an adorable turret? Not me, that's for sure.

Mini Mauga

Overwatch 2 developers cut the game's latest tank hero down to size for April Fools'.

“Smauga” has got to be one of the best Overwatch april fools changes of the bunch. And it's certainly a unique way of addressing all of the complaints about the hero's large hitbox.

Smart Virus

Sombra's Virus now jumps to another enemy if you manage to kill the last enemy affected by the ability. This is a surprisingly cool buff to Sombra's kit that we argue should have made it in the rework. But while it's here, we'll be putting it up as one of the best April Fools' changes that should stay in the game.

The Overwatch 2 April Fools' Event will run from April 1-9.


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Paul G
Paul started writing game guides and match predictions for ESTNN's editorial team in 2022. Since then, he's covered big-ticket esports events and the latest news on tech and AI.