Overwatch Season 8 Introduces New Hero and Mode

A fresh Season of Overwatch is here, Season 8. This latest update is one of the most substantial we’ve had with huge gameplay changes and new features. The balancing alterations to the OW characters are interesting, but the fresh Battle Pass and OW weapon skins might have grabbed the most attention with one of Blizzard’s most varied displays so far.

Overwatch is in a period of transition right now. The OW esports future after League is still uncertain and how the Microsoft buyout will affect things is yet to be seen. That clearly hasn’t slowed things down though. The latest update has brought some of the most substantial new content for a single season. This is what’s new in Overwatch season 8.

Overwatch Season 8

What’s new in Overwatch Season 8? There have been many alterations to the title’s content. These are the highlights from the latest Overwatch patch notes.

New Hero – Mauga

The biggest change with the latest Overwatch news is a fresh Hero, Mauga. Compared to normal hero drops we’ve already learnt a bit about this character though. Originally trailed during BlizzCon, the new Tank has had some changes. Blizzard has adjusted his hitbox and changed some health for armor. His weapons have been boosted too. The Hero was a tad underpowered originally so these buffs should help him be a fun addition to the cast.

Balancing Changes

The balancing changes with Overwatch Season 8 are pretty substantial, but what’s the takeaway? There are some major alterations with Junker Queen, Winston, Tracer, and even Kiriko getting buffed. Although, a few others have been knocked down a bit with Sigma, Soldier, Baptiste and more getting nerfed. It’s a bigger set of Hero adjustments and a lot of the cast will play a bit differently.

New Mode Battle of the Beasts

A new OW game mode is here along with the rest of the Season 8 changes. Battle of the Beasts is a limited-time mode that’s PvPvE. It’s something a bit different and a fun change of pace from an endless comp queue.

Other Changes in Overwatch Season 8

That’s most of the brand-new content, but it’s not all we’re getting in OW Season 8. There are also the new weapon skins, plus a fresh Battle Pass with new OW skins for characters. We’re even getting more Hero Mastery missions pretty soon, but they won’t be live with the initial Overwatch Season 8 update.