Overwatch 2 May 29 patch notes

The update notes for Overwatch 2 on May 29 outline adjustments made to various characters’ abilities, particularly modifications to their equipment within the Stadium map.

A notable feature introduced in Overwatch 2 Season 16 is the innovative game mode called “Stadium.” In this mode, players have the exciting opportunity to test various abilities and items for each character, allowing them to create optimal build combinations.

Despite the fact that this mode operates quite distinctly from Quick Play and Competitive modes, which are well-known to us, it sometimes undergoes adjustments to keep things interesting.

Hey there fellow enthusiast! On May 29th, 2025, Blizzard dropped a fresh balance update for us in Stadium. This one’s packed with buffs, nerfs, and tweaks across multiple heroes. Here’s a rundown of what’s changed to help you stay on top of things!

Overwatch 2 May 29 update patch notes

After the introduction of Freja in the last upgrade, the May 29 hotfix has implemented a series of adjustments (or tuning down) to the abilities (kit) of the newly added damage per second (DPS) hero.

Conversely, characters like Ashe, Junker Queen, Orisa, Ana, and Juno have seen a bit more attention, whereas Reinhardt, Soldier 76, and other characters have undergone adjustments.

Beyond what’s already mentioned, developers have also incorporated improvements to address any issues (bugs), ensuring a smoother user experience. For the full rundown on updates, please see the detailed list provided below.

Damage

Ashe

Out with a Bang – Power

Decreased Explosives damage reduction to 30% (Down from 66%).

Molten Munitions – Power

Increased damage to 80 (Up from 50).
This change will not be represented correctly on the tooltip but it will be functionally set to 80. This information in the tooltip will be fixed next season.

Reload Therapy – Power

Increased heal to 10% (Up from 3%).

Sidewinder – Epic Weapon Hero Item

Increased attack speed to 15% (Up from 10%).
Increased damage to 25% (Up from 15%).

Developer’s Notes: Ashe is consistently improving in overall competitive strength, yet she lacks that crucial additional power in critical situations. The following enhancements focus on boosting underperforming abilities and items for Ashe, thereby expanding her versatility across various builds and ensuring she remains impactful in a broader spectrum of gameplay scenarios.

Freja

Lille Fælde – Power Re-enabled

Bola from Lille Fælde slow is decreased by 60%.
Bola from Lille Fælde no longer pulls enemies upon direct hit.
These will be reflected in the tooltip in a future update.

So Cooked – Power

Decreased increased damaging zone damage to 30% (down from 50%).
Decreased increased damaging zone duration to 2 second (down from 3 second).

Deep Pockets – Power

Max Ammo restored from using an ability reduced to 25% (down from 50%).

Forager – Power

Max Life heal per hit increased to 4% (up from 3%).

Portable Zipline – Epic Weapon Hero Item

Decreased Weapon Power to 5% (down from 15%).

Volley a Deux – Power

Increased damage to 33% reduced damage on additional bolts (up from 50% reduced).

Magnetic Maelstrom – Epic Ability Hero Item

Disabled.

Mei

Blizznado – Power

Increased Heal per second to 15% (up from 5%).

In our upcoming updates, we aim to boost Mei’s resilience when Cryo-Freeze isn’t an option by strengthening the harmony between her abilities and Blizzard effects. This change will provide Mei with additional defensive capabilities during her ultimate or mini-Blizzard, enabling her to hold her ground in battles more effectively and keep up the pressure on opponents.

Soldier 76

Hunker Down – Power

Increased Biotic Field duration to 50% reduced duration (up from 30% reduced).

Chaingun – Power

Decreased Weapon Power per shot to 0.4% (down from 0.5%).

Battery Pack – Rare Ability Hero Item

Increased Biotic Field Duration to 40% (up from 30%).

Rapid Response Radius – Epic Ability Hero Item

Increased Biotic Field radius to 40% (up from 30%).

Compression Fatigues – Rare Survival Hero Item

Removed 5% Attack Speed.
Added 5% Ability Power.

Since Biotic Field constructions haven’t been well-received or effective, we’re going to beef them up a bit. The Chaingun has been overused in virtually every Soldier weapon setup, so we’ll make a few adjustments to encourage a wider range of choices.

Tank

D.Va

Focused Fusion – Power

Decreased Fusion Cannon spread to 50% (Down from 66%).

Ignition Burst – Power

Increased Lava damage to 80 (Up from 30).

Vesuvius Protocol – Rare Ability Hero Item

Increased Lava damage to 80 (Up from 30).

Developer Notes: D.Va has been finding it difficult to manage space efficiently, particularly when attempting to dominate crucial areas. Boosting Lava’s power should enable her to establish more menacing territories and deter opponents from casually entering her territory. Regarding Focused Fusion, the idea was sound, but in execution, it fell short when enemies were constantly circling around her. We’re making minor tweaks to ensure it doesn’t feel like D.Va is using a sniper rifle in a brawl, while still maintaining her ability to hit opponents from both close and afar.

Junker Queen

Royal Bullets – Power

Increased range to 15 meters (Up from 12 meters).
Increased damage to 50 (Up from 30).

Twist The Knife – Power

Increased Wounds extension to 1 second (Up from 0.5 seconds).

Blade Parade – Power

Increased Damage to 100% (Up from 35%).
Merciless Magnetism – Power

Increased range to 15 meters (Up from 12 meters).

Thick Skull – Epic Survival Hero Item
Increased Damage Reduction to 75% (Up from 50%).

Developer Notes: Recently, Junker Queen’s axe has been dominating her arsenal, with her shotgun and knife taking a backseat. To promote diverse playstyles and enhance the versatility of her kit, we’re going to improve both her overlooked weapons in this update. Additionally, we’re boosting Thick Skull to assist Junker Queen in handling burst damage, making her more resilient in intense, fast-moving battles.

Orisa

Scorched Earth – Power

Increased damage to 20% (Up from 10%).

Electro Lights – Rare Hero Weapon Item

Increased recovery rate to 50% (Up from 25%).

Developer’s Note: Orisa’s Overheat build wasn’t performing as well as expected, particularly in defending against aggressive attacks. It needed a stronger impact to discourage enemies from advancing or to make them adjust their positions. This update is intended to enhance her ability to put pressure on the enemy and make her more intimidating when guarding territory.

Reinhardt

Barrier Reconstruction – Power

Increased Barrier Health Restoration from Damage to 15% (up from 10%).

Feeling the Burn – Power

No longer applies to Smashing and Dampener Grip.

Dampener Grip – Epic Weapon Hero Item

Increased Ability Power to 15% (up from 10%).

Developers’ Note: Due to an overly powerful interaction between Feeling the Burn and the damage from Rocket Hammer, we’ve decided to eliminate that combination. Instead, we’ll be making minor enhancements to certain powers and items that aren’t used as often.

Support

Ana

Tactical Rifle – Power

Reduced aim tracking angle by 50%.

Dash Boots – Rare Ability Hero Item

Increased Movement Speed bonus to 10% (Up from 5%).
Decreased cooldown to 3 seconds (Down from 4 seconds).

Cluster Core – Epic Ability Hero Item

Biotic Grenade cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds for each target it hits (up from 1 second).

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that the developers are working on making Ana feel more nimble and robust in medium-range skirmishes, where I typically find myself exposed. These updates should enhance my ability to maneuver effectively under duress and keep me engaged in battles without jeopardizing my role as a powerful support character.

The Tactical Rifle is greatly appreciated, but we’ve been hearing that its aiming system might sometimes be more of a hassle than an aid during intense situations. In critical moments, the auto-aim tends to lock onto teammates instead of enemies, which can reduce overall damage output. To improve this, we’re adjusting its behavior so it focuses more on threats and functions as a dependable weapon in battle.

Juno

Hyper Healer – Power

Increased Overhealth to 100 (Up from 50).

Black Hole – Power

Increased Slow duration to 2 seconds. (Up from 1 second).

Developer Comments: Hyper Ring is frequently utilized in Juno’s toolkit, but it hasn’t matched the effect of her other abilities as effectively. To align it with her other options, we’re enhancing it, making it a more attractive choice that rewards strategic placement and timing.

Kiriko

Self-Care – Power

Increased heal to 15% (Up from 5%).

Developer Commentary: In lengthy gameplay sessions, Self-Care wasn’t lasting, leading to concerns about sustainability. This upgrade enhances its significance, enabling players to recuperate better and prolong their participation in fights without overly depending on external healing sources.

Bug Fixes

Stadium