Highlights
- Overwatch 2 Season 8 is projected to arrive on December 5 at 11:00 AM PST, continuing the pattern of previous maintenance updates.
- Orisa will receive a fully customizable mythic skin called Grand Beast in Season 8, which tank players should be pleased about.
- Mauga, the new tank character, will receive buffs to improve his survivability stats based on feedback from the trial weekend.
As Overwatch 2 Season 7 comes to a close, Blizzard has unveiled a few significant updates and changes that should be of interest to the community. This includes a new game mode, tank character, themed battle pass, and more. Based on the pattern of previous maintenance updates, Overwatch 2 Season 8 is projected to arrive on December 5 at approximately 11:00 AM PST.
While Overwatch 2's newest tank character, Mauga, is sure to garner attention, there are plenty of other exciting additions to anticipate. For instance, on November 28, Blizzard revealed the "Call of the Hunt" theme, hinting at a jungle-focused season. This announcement was combined with a visual of Junker Queen, which could be a hint for a new Arcade mode featuring the leader of Junker Town.
What to Expect From Overwatch 2's Winter Wonderland Event 2023
Overwatch 2 is expected to launch its annual Winter Wonderland event soon, and this year's take is likely to introduce a lot of exciting changes.
Overwatch 2 Embarks on a Primal Expedition in Season 8
Overwatch 2 Season 8's Mythic Skin Goes to a Tank
Coinciding with the Overwatch 2 Season 8 battle pass theme, Orisa is set to receive a fully customizable mythic skin called Grand Beast. According to the official PlayOverwatch Twitter account, this skin will have four color variants, a unique sound design, and a sand storm-like effect when using her ultimate ability, Terra Surge. Seeing as the last three mythic skins have gone to support and damage characters, tank players should be pleased with this development.
Additionally, starting with Season 8, battle passes are getting a slight revamp. Typically upon reaching Tier 80 of the premium track, players unlock the current mythic skin. Now, people will have the option to unlock any one of the mythic skins from past seasons if they don't already have it.
If someone picks a mythic skin from a past season, they will not be able to acquire the current mythic skin. Ex. Players can exchange Grand Beast Orisa for Zeus Junker Queen, but won't get Grand Beast Orisa in Season 8.
Mauga Set to Debut with Buffs
Mauga's trial weekend during BlizzCon 2023 allowed players to try out the Samoan tank characters' abilities. However, Blizzard quickly realized they weren't satisfied with his survivability stats, and it appears he'll be getting a few buffs. In a developer blog from November 16, Game Director Aaron Keller wrote that the team was experimenting with replacing some of his health with armor, among other changes.
Overwatch 2's Hero Mastery Adds New Features in Season 8
For those who are looking to hone their skills among the 39 playable characters in Overwatch 2, Hero Mastery has been the perfect place to do it. Currently, the only playable characters in the Hero Mastery mode are Reinhardt, Winston, Sojourn, Tracer, and Mercy. Fortunately, the December update adds five more heroes; D.va, Echo, Genji, Lucio, and Mei, alongside a three-player co-op mode dubbed Gauntlet.
Winter Wonderland Is Ushering in Holiday Fun
Winter Wonderland is an annual event that's been in the game since the launch of the first Overwatch in 2016. The Christmas-themed festivities usually offer a variety of limited-time game modes that last about three weeks. Based on the schedules of previous years, it's likely Winter Wonderland 2023 will launch between December 12 to December 15. Last years included games and rewards such as:
- Mei's Snowball
- Yeti Hunter
- Freezethaw
- Two themed skins
- Nine challenges
Overwatch 2 Season 8 Hero Patches
Blizzard typically publishes new patch notes twice per season: once at the season's start and another at the midway point. With tank heroes like Sigma and Junker Queen dominating competitive matches in Season 7, it's probable that Blizzard will nerf their durability on December 5. In addition, the chances of buffs coming to underperforming heroes that aren't considered meta are quite good.
