The US Patent and Trademark Office has recently approved a patent for the Play of the Game feature in Overwatch.

The patent was submitted by Blizzard all the way back in December 2016, but was only recently given approval on June 14 this year. What the patent describes is how the Play of the Game process works in Overwatch.

The system timestamps particular moments during a match and creates a window around the event. It then selects the top player from a variety of criteria and categories -- such as Shutdown or High Score -- before replaying the moment at the end of the game. Additionally, the social features, which allow players to share these moments, are also a part of the patent.

The Overwatch PTR (Public Test Region) has recently closed for the time being, and the patch being tested will go live later today. The most notable change coming with the newest patch is a major Symmetra rework, which drastically alters how the hero plays.

Her Ultimate has been replaced with a map-spanning Photon Barrier, and she now has access to a teleporter at any time, though it will work differently than before. Symmetra's turrets have been reduced from six to three, but are more powerful and harder to destroy. They can also be thrown, allowing her to place them from a distance. Her primary fire and alternate fire have received some tweaks as well. These changes have moved Symmetra from Support class to the Damage class.

Now that the Symmetra rework is complete, Blizzard is moving on to the next objective on the list, which might be the next new hero. Over the past few days, there have been a couple of videos posted to the Overwatch Twitter that appear to be teasing a new character. Both videos are static shots of a wall covered in graffiti and posters with anti-Omnic sentiments, but the second video features a giant, metal ball that rolls through the scene. Theories range from the ball being the actual character to the ball being a part of the character's moveset. All that is certain is that Blizzard has been amping up the teases, which can only mean the reveal of the new character is right around the corner.

Overwatch is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Source: Unikrn