Overwatch 2 beta reveals next-gen features and character nerfs
Blizzard giveth and taketh away.
With the second Overwatch 2 beta in full swing, lucky players have shared new features and changes they've encountered.
The original Overwatch wasn't updated to natively support the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, so there's huge expectation that the sequel will bring the latest and greatest tech features.
Beta players have reported that the game will be able to run at 120 FPS with variable refresh rate (VRR) support. That's a huge upgrade for console players who have been locked to 60 FPS on last-gen consoles.
Overwatch is an inherently competitive game, so a boost in frame rate is great for hardcore players with the right display.
As well as the "Framerate" mode, players will also be able to choose between "Balanced" and "Resolution" modes, though it's currently unclear what the different compromises are (I'll leave that to Digital Foundry to analyse).
As for the game's meta, fans are torn over changes to two of Overwatch's heroes: Mercy and Symmetra.
The healer Mercy has received some minor nerfs, such as her character automatically launching into the air when reaching an ally.
The DPS Symmetra has had a more significant nerf, with her weapon now holding 70 instead of 100 bullets and no longer regenerating from hitting barriers. Her secondary fire is now twice as fast but deals less damage.
Teleporters now only last for 10 seconds, have lower health and a longer cooldown, making it substantially less effective.
We should probably expect more changes as we get closer to Overwatch 2's release in October.