Overwatch 2’s new Perks system allows players to modify abilities and even swap them out entirely.
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard revealed two major Overwatch 2 gameplay updates during its Spotlight stream. One is called Stadium, an all-new ranked mode that will arrive in the coming months (more on that here). The other is a Perks system that is likely to drastically change how the entire game works very soon. It’s slated to go live when Season 15 starts next week.
During each match, you’ll be able to unlock two Perks for your given hero that amplify or completely overhaul their abilities. The Perks are all hero-specific, so they’re not role-based. They’ll be available in both Competitive and Quick Play.
You’ll level up your hero throughout each match. You should reach level 2 about a third of the way through a match, and level 3 at the two-thirds mark. As you might expect, you’ll level up faster through damage and healing output, accruing kills and so on.
Once you reach level 2, you can select a minor perk by holding Alt on a keyboard or up on a controller D-pad (by default) and choosing your perk with a left/right click or a bumper. There will also be a one-button option to pick a perk faster. The option you choose will often depend on the map, your team composition and, most importantly, your playstyle.
“One of our most important goals with Perks was ensuring they felt true to Overwatch. We’ve all enjoyed our wacky arcade April Fools’ moments, but the core gameplay of Overwatch is sacred territory,” lead gameplay designer Alec Dawson said. “We didn’t want Perks to completely throw off the balance or make you feel like you were suddenly playing too far away from the heroes you already know and love.
“Every decision — whether it was deciding how powerful perks should be, crafting trade-offs, or ensuring balance across heroes — was made to keep the core Overwatch DNA intact. We spent a lot of time debating scenarios where ‘less is more,’ striking the delicate balance of giving players fun perks without making things chaotic or unfair.”
I won’t run through all of the available Perks for every hero because a) with four per hero, there are more than a hundred of them and I don’t want to overload you with details and b) it’s maybe more fun to discover some for yourself, no? I’ll touch on a few, though.
Overwatch 2’s Wild New Perks
Take your pick: Ana can land had shots or Nano Boost herself too when she uses her Ultimate.
Blizzard Entertainment
Having looked through the entire list of initial Perks, I’m excited about Ana’s major perks. She’ll either be able to (finally!) land critical/head shots with her Biotic Rifle or, when she delivers a Nano Boost to an ally, she’ll receive the effects of the Ultimate too. Cool!
There’s so much more fun stuff here. Reaper can have a long attack to take out a fleeing enemy on low health. Echo will be able to duplicate allies. D.Va can have a greater area of impact when she calls in her mech. Sombra can hack allies to restore some health.
Elsewhere, Hanzo can get his scatter arrows back, Torbjorn can stick his turret to walls and ceilings, Orisa can swap out Javelin Spin for a protective barrier (like in the old days) and Reinhardt can shield bash enemies.
Torbjorn’s major perks in Overwatch 2 allow him to chuck his turret onto ceilings or walls, or … [+]
Blizzard Entertainment
There are a ton of wild options here, and they should make in-the-moment gameplay much more interesting. Some Perks revive old abilities that were phased out in the shift to Overwatch 2, while others add totally new mechanics.
Blizzard has taken hero swaps into account here. If you swap heroes after unlocking a Perk, you’ll level up faster. If you swap back to your previous hero, you’ll get the perks you had unlocked back too. So, you won’t lose progress on hero leveling.
Overwatch 2 Perks Concerns
I’m a little worried that Perks will make matches harder to follow. Us seasoned Overwatch players are so used to knowing exactly how each hero’s kit works, so we know what we’re dealing with once we see the enemy comp. Perks throw many dozens more variables into the mix that we’ll need to account for.
Overwatch 2 isn’t the first game to implement a Perks system like this. Apex Legends introduced one last year. As it happens, Team 4 started thinking about its version in early 2024 and most of the project came together over the last six months.
“Perks are more than just a mechanic – they’re a fresh way to flex your creativity, adapt your strategies, and rediscover the game you love,” Dawson said. “We can’t wait to see the builds, plays, and clips you all come up with. This is Overwatch stepping into a new chapter, but still staying true to its heart with teamwork, adaptability, and buckets of fun.”
This is an exciting update, to be sure. But as soon as I learned about Perks, I couldn’t help but think about BlizzCon 2019, when we got a glimpse at the Talent System (with modifiable abilities) in the planned PvE modes. I understand why PvE was scrapped for the most part — what Blizzard initially had in mind was too ambitious and there were other more pressing priorities to work on.
It’s nice that those customizable abilities get a second chance, albeit on a smaller scale. They’re really going to shake up PvP and I can’t wait to try them out.
Be sure to check out all the rest of my coverage of today’s Overwatch 2 Spotlight Event:
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