A new update for the ongoing Overwatch beta has been released, and it brings with it a few new features.
The update will introduce a new game mode called Weekly Brawl. According to Blizzard, Weekly Brawls are “a fun, alternative way to play Overwatch.” Like the feature in Hearthstone, a different Weekly Brawl featuring a unique set of rules in the Custom Game system will be available each week. For example: in one Weekly Brawl, a hero will be randomly chosen for you every time you respawn, or you will be restricted to support heroes only.
Changes to the Play of the Game feature have also been made. From now on the Play of the Game will be chosen from four different categories: High Score, Lifesaver, Sharpshooter, and Shutdown. The High Score category will feature large multikills and quick killstreaks, while Lifesaver will feature situations where one player is able to save another player (or players) from imminent death. The Sharpshooter category is intended for difficult or skillful kills, and the Shutdown category will feature moments when one player kills another player (or players) right as they were about to do something impactful.
Also featured in the new update is a new Escort map entitled Route 66, as well as a highlight feature that saves a players’ last five highlights for the current game session automatically. Other aspects of the update include changes to player progression, joining and leaving games, group improvements, and more. You can check out the full patch notes here.
Overwatch will release on May 24th. The game will release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. An open beta test is set to begin on May 3rd.