Overwatch 2 announces game-changing Perks system for Season 15

Blizzard have announced one of the biggest gameplay changes for Overwatch 2 in years, in the form of a new Perks system set to alter the flow of matches. 

In the nearly 10 years since the origins launched, Overwatch has seen many changes to the way matches work. This includes the introduction of role locks and the decision to move to 5v5 in the sequel. 

But since then, the moment-to-moment action has remained mostly the same, with new heroes, maps, and modes coming regularly to add variety. 

Now, as part of Season 15, the formula is being shaken up once again with the addition of a brand-new Perks system, described as the “most significant innovation to core gameplay” since 2016.

In-game Perks coming to OW2 Quick Play & Competitive

Announced during the Spotlight event on February 12, these character-specific bonuses are unlocked during a match. The key difference is that once earned, they last for the remainder of the game. 

Each hero has four different Perks to choose from which are selected in-game – much like Fortnite’s Augment system from Chapter 4. Early on in the match, you will have the choice of two Minor Perks, which offer smaller bonuses to a character’s existing abilities, such as an increase in knockback to Lucio’s Soundwave. 

Then, towards the latter stages of a game, another choice between two Major Perks will be offered. These provide much more game-changing effects and, in some cases, even grant characters new abilities. 

Blizzard

For example, Dire Triggers for Reaper unlocks a never-before-seen mid-range attack, that lets him finish off enemies who escape the range of his shotguns. 

The aim is to provide even more strategic depth to each character and give each game an extra level of nuance with meaningful choices to make on the fly. It’s up to you to decide which Perk will have the greatest impact on the flow of the match, based on how your team is performing and which characters on the enemy side are causing the most problems.

Crucially, this major change is being rolled out across both Quick Play and Competitive, so it’s a system that players will need to embrace if they want to climb the ranks.

We’ll have to wait until Overwatch 2 Season 15 on February 18 to see the new Perks in action, but don’t be surprised if they have a serious effect on the meta going forward.