Overwatch’s latest update, version 1.14, has left the PTR. This means that sadly, Summer Games 2017 has come to a close.
Did you get the skins you wanted? I missed out on Reaper’s Biker skin, but there’s always next year. In any case, I got Sombra and McCree’s skins and those are both fire.
Update 1.14
The new update brings a host of changes that have been live on the PTR for some time. Chief among them is the brand new Deathmatch mode. Available on all platforms through the Arcade now, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are live.
Both modes are for eight-players, TDM is 4v4, with a score limit of 20 for DM and 30 for TDM. One point is awarded for a killing blow and one point is lost for killing yourself. In TDM, if a player is resurrected, the enemy team will lose one point.
Deathmatch is playable on the following maps;
- Hanamura
- Horizon Lunar Colony
- Temple of Anubis
- Volskaya Industries
- Dorado
- Eichenwalde
- Hollywood
- King’s Row
- (TDM only) Black Forest
- (TDM only) Castillo
- (TDM only) Ecopoint: Antarctica
- (TDM only) Necropolis
Château Guillard – New Map
Château Guillard is a brand new map, built especially for Deathmatch. The home of the Guillard family, it fell into disrepair after the Revolution. Talon sniper Widowmaker has taken back her family’s ancestral home. A perfect location for Talon in Europe.
The Château Guillard map includes corridors, open air, jump pads and more. The map includes enough variety that all of the game’s heroes should be viable picks.
Hero Updates
Several heroes have been buffed in update 1.14 and nobody has been nerfed. Let’s take a look at the changes.
Junkrat
Junkrat can now hold two concussion mines at a time. Rip-Tires movement speed has been increased by 30% and there’s no longer a time limit for Rip-Tire while climbing walls.
Holding two mines at a time makes Junkrat more mobile, especially if he holds on and uses three at a time. The changes to Rip-Tire should allow it to deal damage more often and reduce Junkat’s vulnerability while using it.
Orisa
Orisa has been sorely needing a buff for a while. Update 1.14 increased the projectile speed of her Fusion Driver by 20% and increases the size of her Barrier by the same amount. The Barrier’s shape has been changed to provide additional coverage from enemies below.
The increase in the speed of her projectiles is a godsend. It should allow Orisa to be far more accurate at range. The changes to the Barrier will also make her far more viable as a Tank. Reddit approves.
Roadhog
Roadhog was nerfed pretty hard and had become a bit of a running joke in the Overwatch community. In Update 1.14 Blizzard has given him the ability to move at full-speed and take 50% less damage while taking a breather.
This change makes Roadhog’s survivability far better. It’s similar to the buff Bastion received to be able to repair on the move. It should make Roadhog a far more viable Tank again.
Widowmaker
Widowmaker’s buffs in Update 1.14 is designed to increase her mobility and survivability. The cooldown on her Grappling Hook is down to eight from 12 seconds. Her Venom Mine will now allow her to see affected enemies through walls.
All in all, this should increase her awareness and ability to escape and stay alive.
Overwatch Update 1.14 also includes a range of bug fixes. For the full patch notes, see Blizzard’s announcement.
Overwatch is available now for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
