Overwatch 2 Season 9 Patch Notes: Pharah Rework, Cosmic Crisis and More

Tackling cosmic threats and a new hero rework in our rundown of the Overwatch 2 Season 9 patch notes

Overwatch 2 Season 9 has finally arrived, and it's new batch of hero changes as well as its momentous competitive mode overhaul is sure to make this season an impactful one. Overwatch 2 fans can look forward to the Cosmic Crisis event, a tower defense mode, new weapon skins and so much more, including the newest Overwatch hero rework! Check out the biggest news from the patch notes below:

It’s time for your competitive comeback! Get ready to become Champions 🏆

💥 Full Competitive Rework
👁️ New Cosmic Crisis
🐙 Eldritch Horror themed Battle Pass
🥇 New Hero Mastery: Gauntlet
✨ And SO much more!

Jump into #Overwatch2 Season 9: Champions when it launches Feb 13 pic.twitter.com/XUQBrlPwM9

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 7, 2024

Overwatch 2 Season 9 Patch Notes

We Are the Champions

Overwatch 2's biggest update to competitive mode is here! In case you missed it, the developers at Blizzard-Activision are finally implementing some much-needed changes to the ranked system.

Firstly, a new “Champion” title is being added to the ranked ladder as the successor to “Grandmaster”. Secondly, Overwatch 2 is bringing placement matches back to Competitive mode. However, the way your rank is ultimately determined after ten games has been significantly reworked.

In case you missed it, rank progression will now depend on 8 simple factors. These modifiers gives plenty of context on why your rank changes, but only time will tell if this new system will be a robust replacement to the old one.

Overwatch 2's futuristic world is filled with action-packed moments and a big cast of memorable heroes. Knowing how to maximize the potential of these heroes in-game is another story. Climb the ranks faster with our Overwatch 2 heroes guide.

Global Hero Changes

Starting season 9, all heroes will now be able to regenerate health over time. This passive ability was once exclusive to Supports, but has now been applied to the rest of Overwatch 2's heroes to reduce their dependence on Support players. On top of that, everyone's HP is getting a big buff.

To compensate for the global HP changes, projectile sizes are also getting increased to make survivability “relatively the same.”

Pharah Rework in Season 9

Pharah is known for her aerial superiority, her rocket-propelled arsenal and her infamous ultimate voiceline. That said, the Overwatch 2 devs thought that it was time to modify her old skillset. They had three goals in mind: to give Pharah more maneuverability, to remove her dependence on Mercy and to make her more fair to play against in all levels of play.

Pharah Rework Season 9 Changes:

• Hover Jets only refuel when Phrah is grounded.
• Increased speed and acceleration while in mid-air.
• Jump Jets provide +50% fuel when used, and “overfuels” Pharah's Hover Jets.
• New ability “Jet Dash” launches Pharah towards any direction.

Cosmic Crisis Event

The Cosmic Crisis is a new seasonal game mode surrounding an otherworldly threat that is hiding in the depths of Antarctica Peninsula. This PvE event has 1o playable heroes, multiple challenges as well as “branching objectives” to make every game feels entirely unique.

Ancient Caller Mythic Moira Skin

With every competitive season comes a brand-new Mythic capstone for the battle pass skins. And for Season 9, we're jumping into the mouth of madness with Moira's eldritch Ancient Caller Mythic skin!

Become your enemy’s worst nightmare with the Ancient Caller Moira Mythic Skin 🫣

Unlock it through the Season 9 Battle Pass when it drops Feb 13 😈 pic.twitter.com/Gqpv5gWEHo

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 11, 2024

Junkertown Changes

The slow crawl across Junkertown's open objectives has long since favored the defending side. So aside from adding a new night-time variation to Junkertown, the devs are modifying parts of the map to even the odds.

From now on, the outhouse in front of the first objective will be replaced with a tall water tower that will block sightlines from one of the openings. The small cover near the cliff will also feature a half-burned house for additional cover from snipers.

Lastly, additional cover and widened hallways will be placed along the third objective to encourage more plays.

Overwatch 2 Season 9 Battle Pass

The new Season 9 Battle Pass promises exciting and never-before-seen rewards that are unique to the season. Here are all of the confirmed eldritch horror-themed skins coming to the Season 9 Battle Pass:

• Ringmaster Winston
• Tentacle Horror Torbjörn
• Horror Hog Roadhog
• Beholder Sigma (Ultimate Battle Pass)
• Harbinger Lifeweaver (Ultimate Battle Pass)
• Ancient Caller Mythic Moira

Hero Mastery: Gauntlet

Finally, Hero Mastery has introduced a new way to play with Gauntlet, a tower-defense strategy PvE where players will constantly adapt startegies and improve structures against waves of killer bots.

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