Overwatch 2 Season 17 Features 2 Big Map Reworks

The developers behind Overwatch 2 recently shared more about the game’s upcoming Season 17, including some big adjustments to a couple of Flashpoint maps that will help keep the action flowing smoothly in the game mode. Season 17 is set to bring a number of big changes to Overwatch 2 in addition to the usual goodies, including new cosmetics, two new Mythic items, a limited-time game mode, and more.

The upcoming limited-time game mode in Overwatch 2 Season 17 is called Hacks and Hijinx, a 6v6 game mode that will run from July 15 to July 28. Set exclusively on Control mode maps, this temporary game mode will randomly switch up the modifiers at the beginning of every round, throwing everything from health packs that charge ultimate abilities to distorted gravity at players to keep them on their toes. The season will also introduce a whole new map called Aatlis to Overwatch 2‘s Flashpoint mode, while also adding the familiar Esperança and Samoa to the Stadium mode’s level pool.

overwatch 2 season 17 balance adjustments bastion

Overwatch 2 Season 17 Buffing Bastion and Making Changes to Other Heroes

Overwatch 2 confirms some of the balance adjustments coming in Season 17, including a particularly unique and hilarious buff to Bastion.

In the spirit of adding more environments for players to fight in, the latest Overwatch 2 developer livestream revealed that some big upcoming changes are coming to a couple of existing Flashpoint maps, too. Suravasa and New Junk City are the two latest Overwatch 2 maps that have gotten some upgrades in Season 17, with the team’s primary goal being to reduce some of the clutter and unnecessary geometry across the locations to improve players’ visibility and make the routes between points easier to identify and traverse. Some new flank routes have also been added to introduce new ways for teams to advance, though the developers have also taken care not to leave the reworked areas too open in the interest of reducing the number of potential sniper lanes.

These reworked maps will still offer plenty of alleys to retreat through and buildings to use as cover, with the goal being to encourage more satisfying team fights throughout the destinations rather than keep teams stuck in choke points. With respect to gameplay in these Flashpoint locations in Overwatch 2, senior level designer Jorge Murillo commented that “when people get stuck in these chokes on Flashpoint maps, and then you lose a team fight at the entrance, we don’t really like that.” He went on to explain that the team hopes these changes will make it easier for both teams to be more consistently competing on points, which is really where the game mode’s fun lies.

Overwatch 2 Season 17 is also introducing the ability for players to vote on which map to play on before a game starts. This feature will apply to both Quick Play and Competitive playlists, and will not only give fans more freedom over their games, but also inform Blizzard which levels players dislike the most so that the team can look at more potential map changes in the future.