Overwatch Season 2 is "modernizing" old heroes, and I'm ready for a Pharmercy revival

The Overwatch Season 2 update is almost upon us, and I can't quite believe we've made it through the first chapter of the multiplayer game's new era already. Looking towards the new season, associate game director Alec Dawson explains several of the big changes Blizzard is making in the short term, along with some of the team's longer-term goals for the year ahead. The 'Pharmercy' duo is back on the menu thanks to modernized kits for some of the oldest members of the roster, and we're even getting the return of post-match accolades. It's enough to call to mind those early glory days of a decade ago.

"Some of the parts on our ever-moving machine are sparkling and new, specially crafted to fit well into modern Overwatch," Dawson writes. "Other parts need some tuning to stay competitive and compelling." He's talking about some of the oldest Overwatch characters, those who have been around since launch and might feel a little outdated by modern standards. "In Season 2, we'll be integrating some perks into heroes' base kits to help them keep up with our newer recruits," Dawson reveals.

He says Blizzard's core goals here were to add functionality and utility, or to enhance the "hero fantasy," without adding complication and bloat. "It was important to us that this initial pass of perk integration didn't go too wide," he notes. Top of the list is Mercy, who will be getting Flash Heal as a part of her standard kit. Currently one of her major perks, it offers a big burst of healing, especially for targets that are low, and Dawson says it gives her "an interesting in-combat decision that doesn't overly bloat her kit."

Pharah is also getting some love, with her Drift Thrusters minor perk now fully incorporated, meaning she'll be able to move (at a slightly reduced speed) while unleashing Barrage. In the rapid world of modern Overwatch, locking yourself in place feels like even more of a death sentence than it used to, so this is a welcome addition.

Reaper actually gets an extra ability, courtesy of his Dire Triggers major perk. The long-range volley will now be available as standard, making him slightly less impotent against targets with any form of escape. Dawson calls it "a necessary upgrade that justified the use of another input." These new additions also get an upgrade on the sound and effects side; Dawson teases, "Check out all of our perk integrations when Season 2 drops next week."

He also notes that while the team might consider similar perk integrations in the future, it's not likely to be a regular occurrence. "We're not getting into the habit of adding perks just to make them baseline in the future," he reassures. "But some perks made sense, met our goals, and offered a way for heroes to level up to where Overwatch is today." In the longer term, Blizzard is considering "multiple heroes" for reworks, with the current shortlist being Sombra, Lifeweaver, and Roadhog.

Season 2 is also upgrading the end-of-match screen. "We felt something was missing," Dawson admits, "it didn't offer space or time to breathe, nonetheless socialize." To start fixing this, it's bringing back a new version of the old post-match accolades system, with several heroes highlighted for their accomplishments in that game, and the option to vote on your MVP of choice.

As an experimental extra, Blizzard is also offering the ability to join a shared lobby voice chat (with both teams) during the Play of the Game. "This will be entirely optional and we encourage everyone to remember that voice chat is monitored for safety," Dawson quickly adds. "We want Overwatch to feel alive and there can sometimes be a deeper connection through voice than through text," he explains. "Fun, lighthearted banter and genuine connection is, to us, the best way to celebrate a match."

Beyond the coming season, Dawson wants to explore "a competitive event with additional social components." He says to expect it to feel "more like a trial," with Blizzard keeping it to a relatively short timeframe and responding quickly to its "sharper social elements." He states that continuing to improve the integrated social systems is "a critical part of Overwatch," ensuring a better overall experience for everyone that goes beyond big-banner beats like new heroes.

Lastly, Dawson turns his attention to the actual match experience. Overwatch Season 2 Competitive is making one notable change: playing on a new or reworked map will cost you less ranking for a loss. You'll still get the full progress if you win, but it helps to incentivize players to vote for maps that aren't the trusted favorites.

To stop lone outliers from dragging the lobby somewhere no-one else wants, a map will now automatically be chosen if it reaches "a certain undeniable majority" of the votes. Blizzard is also introducing the option to pick 'random map' if you don't like what's on offer, and in Quick Play you'll be able to see if you're going to be on the attack or defense side for the stages where that matters.

Blizzard is studying the hero bans system as well, and Dawson believes "there is room to help you make more informed bans and eliminate some of the instances where it doesn't feel like the system is reflecting your choices." Don't expect this for Season 2, but the team is looking at both the ability to share more than one preferred hero during the initial phase, and the possibility of a fifth 'lobby ban' that takes into account votes from both teams.

Overwatch Season 2 is expected to launch on Tuesday April 14, following the end of Season 1. I'm eager to see which heroes have been given a power bump, and the resulting effects on the meta. Plus, we've got new addition Sierra to look forward to.