Latest Overwatch update introduces Sigma, role queue and a host of hero adjustments
Including a long-awaited Brigitte rework.
The highly anticipated competitive role queue beta has finally made its way to Overwatch on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, along with hero 31, Sigma.
Sigma is the game's newest addition to the tank line-up, who uses gravity manipulating abilities to deal a fair amount of damage, while protecting himself and his team with the use of barriers.
He's also available to play as of right now in competitive matches, unlike previously added heroes who usually go live in competitive after a week of being available in game. Though, this is likely due to the fact that the current season of competitive is in beta to test out the shiny new role queue system.
When the update first launched last night, Quick Play had changed to a strange hybrid version of role queue - rather than choosing a role before queuing for a match, all roles were available when getting to the hero select screen, only locking you into playing a role after selecting a character.
This created a strange first-come-first-served system where other players could insta-lock heroes, meaning you might not actually get to play the role you wanted anyway (and defeating the point of the role queue system entirely). Blizzard has confirmed this was a bug, and it's been removed from the game mode, so there's no need to worry about this version of the 2-2-2 role limit returning.
It's been re-confirmed that the actual role queue system will come to Quick Play on 1st September.
In regards to character balancing, one of the most notable changes has happened to Brigitte, to make her a stronger yet squishier healer. Her shield's health has been reduced from 500 to 200, her repair pack now has three charges rather than one (and they do slightly less healing to compensate), and her Inspire passive ability now does more healing to allies, but halves its self-healing.
Symmetra's teleporters now have an infinite duration until they're destroyed, and can be destroyed by the player if they want to place a new one (like Sombra's translocator). It also has an increased maximum range for where you can place it.
As well as specific character changes, most stun and knockback abilities have been nerfed, and global ultimate cost has been up to 12 per cent, meaning it takes a little longer to charge up your ultimate ability.
There's a lot of other smaller-scale changes to various heroes too to balance them for 2-2-2, which you can check out in full in the patch notes here.
This update is one of the biggest Overwatch has seen since its release - with the introduction of role queue and a bunch of quality of life changes, for the first time in ages the game feels fresh. If you haven't logged on in a while, now is a fantastic time to jump back in and check out anything you might have missed.