Every year, Overwatch it absolutely culminates in the April Fools' Day celebration, and every year I dread the day it ends. It has been a tradition for a long time Overwatch releasing deliberately stupid updates – now branded as Underwatch – with snarky developer comments for every stupid change. Sometimes the developers play on community discussions to create crazy abilities that they give heroes, while other times the changes seem to be completely random. However, updates are always a blast and Underwatch 2026 is no different. Notable changes include:
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Reinhardt's pin can be sped up and slowed down while grabbing multiple enemies at once, making him a threat in the mode
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D.Va's micro rockets are hilariously large
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Instead of its usual barrier, the domino creates random shapes
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Winston is unplayable
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Sombra became a mimic instead of teleporting through the translocator
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Cassidy's bullets can cause bleeding if she says hello and waves at the target
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The second Torbjorn stacks on top of Torbjorn and mimics every action the player takes
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Anna's Sleep Arrow will put herself to sleep and wake her up with a Nano Boost
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Lifeweaver is hilariously tiny
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Jetpack Cat controls a wrecking ball that can hit targets via his lifeline
These are just a handful of the amazing abilities available in April mode, and coupled with dev jokes like Team 4 poking fun at their “third-ever melee DPS,” this mode is a must-see. To top it all off, there are silly voice lines for each hero. These include classics like Winston only saying his name, or Hanzo and Genji making dragon and sword sounds, while some new gems are present, like Emre's dial-up when he uses his ultimate sound. There is so much to appreciate in Underwatch and it really is my favorite LTM of the year. So for that reason I'm obviously very upset about it OverwatchNext update on April 14th.
Overwatch Reveals Hero Sierra's New Gameplay and Abilities
Overwatch reveals the game model, gameplay and abilities of Sierra, the new Damage hero coming in Reign of Talon Season 2.
Underwatch mode is leaving Overwatch soon and I'm devastated
Sometimes it breaks through Overwatch Event challenges can be a chore, but I've had so much fun on my Cardboard Tank title that I honestly wish this mode was a permanent option within the arcade. It's not just the fun new abilities or silly voice lines that make me smile while playing, it's the little touches. Take Microsoft's Clippy paper clip, which is used in the hero selection screen, to sneak in a few more jokes about each character, a gag I only noticed after a few matches. Or the return of Reinspeak, which sees every message sent in text chat by a Reinhardt player changed to be in all caps and include a quote from the mighty German hero. Underwatch is just a lot of fun all around, even if it's a great way to wrap up a great Season 1 reboot OverwatchI'm already mourning it.
Catspeak also now exists, as Jetpack Cat messages in text chat will appear as random letters resembling a keyboard.
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Place 9 games in the grid.
What makes it sadder that Underwatch lost is that some heroes feel better about the mode. Take Wuyang, for example, whose Guardian Wave ability can be charged to increase its size, damage, healing, and knockback. Not only will this make the waterbender feel more fun to play, but it will also be more accurate, as he's shown sending a huge wave at his sister and colleague. Overwatch hero Anran in his story trailer. While a lot of abilities are on the silly side — Mercy's insta-kill resurrection and Zenyatta becoming a beyblade don't seem like they've ever been added to their sets — Blizzard tends to stumble upon changes in Underwatch that would actually be cool to see in the game's core modes. Participating in these experiments with what could one day become real abilities is a lot of fun, and it's another reason why I'm a little bummed about Tuesday's update.
The launch of Overwatch Season 2 is the silver lining of April 14th
While I'm getting ready to endure another year long wait before I can get a few more weeks with the underwatched heroes, at least there will be some great content after this LTM. Sure, Underwatch leaves on April 14th, but Season 2 starts on the same day. This means that the new Damage Sierra hero will be playable next week and it will be new Overwatch battle pass skins to grind for. This totally softens the blow, because it would be a lot sadder if Underwatch ended mid-season and there was nothing new to do. Still, the last few hours I've spent with the latest iteration of the mode have been some of my favorite after years of regular play Overwatchso I will patiently wait for his return in 2027.
- Released
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August 10, 2023
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood, Mild Language, Tobacco Use, User Interaction, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
