Most video game companies use April Fools’ Day to make a social media post about something improbable, like a dating sim spin-off or a product they will never actually put out. Overwatch 2 goes the extra mile and releases an entire game mode that cranks every one of its heroes up to their most chaotic form. The annual tradition has enough exaggerated balance changes to activate a pro player’s fight or flight.
The “Totally Normalwatch” mode is available in the Arcade menu until April 14. There are some incredibly silly changes here, such as Hanzo being able to ride Orisa into battle, Ashe’s robot bodyguard B.O.B. giving up his usual gatling gun to chase enemies around the map, and Moira having all her healing output changed to damage dealing. But that’s only scratching the surface of every change made to all 42 heroes.
In previous years, some of the funniest changes have included gags like making Mauga, a tank who usually towers over most Overwatch 2 heroes, only a foot tall, or giving every hero a new humorous voice line when they used their Ultimate abilities. Interestingly enough, looking back at old April Fools’ patch notes reveals that some of the balance changes made as a joke found their way into the main game through the new Perks system that modifies different abilities throughout the match. So, it’s possible that some of this year’s changes may show up in the actual game down the line as well.
The full patch notes are as follows:
Developer Comments: The Meka Squad are having a rough time against the Gwishin Omnics. So, they are experimenting with new designs to save on materials and rations.
Fusion Cannon
Rate of fire increased by 100%.
Light Gun
Self-Destruct
Developer Comment: Doomfist decided the best way to win is by punching the opponents… a lot.
Hand Cannon
Quick Melee
Rocket Punch
Seismic Slam
Developer Comments: Hazard got tired of rooting people in place, so he thought he’d try knocking them around instead.
Jagged Wall
Developer Comments: Everyone got tired of Junker Queen shouting at them and started to ignore her. So, she has gotten selfish and is hoarding her Commanding Shout buffs for herself. She always wants to directly confront anyone who gets hit by Gracie .
Jagged Blade
Commanding Shout
Developer Comments: Gunny and Cha-Cha will now lift up their Papa, and whoever is tethered to him.
Incendiary Chaingun
Volatile Chaingun
Overrun
Cage Fight
Developer Comments: “I see you glancing at me. You wish to ride me into battle?”
Javelin Spin
Developer Comments: Ramattra has elevated the discourse of battle, along with his opponents.
Ravenous Vortex
Developer Comments: Reinhardt recently saw some street racing anime and has become so obsessed with it that he has learned to drift.
Charge
Developer Comments: We’ve been seen everyone’s feedback about Chain Hook being so inconsistent over the years, so we hope that throwing three of them at once makes it more reliably lethal.
Chain Hook
Developer Comments: Sigma’s realized he was not abiding by Newton’s third law of motion, so he figures by deflecting the projectiles he blocks with Kinetic Grasp would make him a more psychics law abiding citizen.
Kinetic Grasp
Developer Comment: “Winston Slam!”
Jump Pack
Developer Comment: Hammond has decided to try imitating tumbleweeds and snowballs.
Roll
Piledriver
Developer Comment: Zarya’s enemies have always feared her skills in battle, but now they will run in fear of her reflection too.
Particle Cannon
Developer Comments: Bob’s arm cannons are in the shop, but he’s much more eager to jump into the fray.
Coach Gun
B.O.B.
Developer Comments: Bastion made a new friend that happens to be grenade-sized.
A-36 Tactical Grenade
Configuration Artillery
Developer Comments: Cassidy recently borrowed Hanzo’s scatter arrow and figured out how to make new ammunition out of the tech.
Peacekeeper
Developer Comments: Echo is testing new updates in flight technology, but it seems her other abilities were affected.
Tri-Shot
Sticky Bombs
Flight
Focusing Beam
Developer Comments: Genji can once again spam that annoying emote to heal himself, though there might be negative consequences this time.
Developer Comments: It’s not a preposterous thought. Hanzo is making a longtime dream come true.
Storm Bow
Storm Arrow
Wall Climb
Samurai Kishu
Developer Comments: Junkrat loves explosions so much he decided to become one.
Concussive Mine
RIP-Tire
Developer Comments: The cold doesn’t bother Mei anymore, but it may bother Mei’s enemies.
Cyro-Freeze
Developer Comments: Fixed a bug where Moira was classified as a Support Hero and removed any unintended healing. Thank you for your patience as we resolved this seven-year-old issue that has prevented Moira mains from reaching their ultimate damage potential.
Biotic Grasp
Biotic Orb
Coalescence
Developer Comment: Pharah now takes her enemies on a magic rocket ride.
Rocket Launcher
Jet Dash
Jump Jet
Developer Comment: Talon got tired of all of the shotguns Reaper was wasting and cut him off their weapon budget until he learns to be more resourceful.
Hellfire Shotguns
Developer Comment: Railgun can now be overcharged to deal more damage. WARNING: Okoton Kelvin-87 Railgun’s recoil dampeners not certified for high energy payloads.
Raingun
Developer Comment: Soldier: 76 being the stubborn old soldier that he is says he doesn’t need any help and can still outrun anyone on the battlefield.
Sprint
Developer Comment: Sombra is exploiting a memory leak, and the only way to shut her down is to press Alt+F4.
Hack
Developer Comments: Symmetra is trying out the latest Vishkar fashions on her allies: turrets! She also traded in her gun for a new tankbuster gun that is overcharged.
Photon Projector
Sentry Turret
Developer Comments: Torbjörn’s turret just needs some hammering to reach maximum potential.
Deploy Turret
Developer Comments: Reinhardt taught Tracer how to charge very short distances, if she stays low enough.
Blink
Developer Comments: Venture got tired of working underground. We hope you dig these changes.
Burrow
Developer Comments: Widowmaker has learned how to catch her prey in her webbing.
Grappling Hook
Quick Melee
Developer Comment: We’ve heard feedback from Ana players that their teammates ignore them when they call out that they are reloading and go and feed into the enemies anyways. We’re hoping this change makes for good practice for them to start paying more attention to their Support teammates.
Biotic Rifle
• Magazine size reduced from 15 to 1. • Reload speed increased by 25%. • Damage and healing increased from 75 to 150.
Developer Comment: Baptiste discovered some of those old retro platformer video games and now it’s all he ever wants to do.
Exo Boots
Developer Comments: Mace to the face was working so well, so Brigitte thought she’d try her shield too.
Shield Bash
Shield Throw
Rally
Developer Comment: Illari got tired of allies being out of healing range, she altered her rifle accordingly.
Solar Rifle
Developer Comment: We fixed a bug where allies and enemies were not getting welcomed into orbit as indicated by her Ultimate voice line.
Quick Melee
Oribital Ray
Developer Comment: Kiriko took some swiftness out of her step and put it into attack speed. What could go wrong?
Swift Step
Developer Comment: Be careful, as you don’t not want Lifeweaver to be a thorn in your side.
Thorn Volley
Developer Comments: “Can’t stop, won’t stop.”
Wall Ride
Developer Comment: Mercy’s new pistol is just like a loot box… you’ll never know what you’ll get.
Caduceus Blaster
Developer Comment: “We are all one within the many, googly irises.”
Orb of Destruction