Overwatch 2 Season 18 is about to make a splash — and it’s not just because of our new aquatic support hero, Wuyang! From a huge evolution to the Stadium game mode, new Stadium characters, Perks refresh, and Summer Games events and skins on the way, here’s everything new arriving on August 26th.
Stadium: Quick Play & New Characters
Stadium is finally introducing Quick Play mode, alongside new characters, maps, and a beefed up Item pool. Shake up your team comps as Winston, Brigitte, Pharah, and (later this season) Tracer join the Stadium Hero rotation.
Quick Play Queue speeds up the action with a faster, lighter version of Stadium, bringing shorter matches, a rapid-fire economy, and Backfill & Cross Play support. There’s also a new Draft Mode which functions like a pre-game huddle, letting you counter-pick and outthink the other team before the first shots are fired.
The new Payload Race mode has your teams pushing parallel payloads through checkpoints as you fight to the finish line. There’s also new maps like the Powder Keg Mine, Thames District, and Oasis Gardens, an expanded Item pool (3 new items, 10 major reworks, and 9 balance updates), plus even more Elite Rank rewards in the form of Epic Mei, Reinhardt, and Ana skins, and a Legendary All-Star D.Va skin.
New Support Hero: Wuyang
The aquatic prodigy from Wuxing University’s Water College bends the rules of healing with a kit built for sharp aim, quick thinking, and fluid movement. Having received a buff since his trial weekend, Wuyang is ready to deal damage and healing in equal measure as he launches into both Quick Play and Competitive Mode at the start of Season 18.
New Hero Perks & Full Rank Reset
Season 18 will kick off with a full-system refresh that resets the Competitive landscape. This means everyone starts with fresh placement matches for a fair shot at their climb, backed by a soft MMR reset that tightens matchmaking from the very first game. Adjusted rank thresholds (especially in higher tiers) better reflect true skill, and tighter MMR ranges make it easier to squad up with friends in ranked.
Not only that, every Hero gets at least one fresh Perk to play with this season, while updated and rebalanced options for Heroes like Lúcio, Winston, and Pharah open the door to smarter team comps and more creative builds.
Mythic Skins: Sojourn & Cassidy
Sojourn’s Mythic Ultraviolet Sentinel Hero Skin levels up your loadout with four tiers of visual upgrades, including customizable hair styles and unique visual effects, sound effects, and colorways. Meanwhile, Cassidy’s Mythic Blazing Sunsetter Weapon Skin responds to every trigger pull, heating up with reactive flair and a deadly flourish.
Summer Games Event: Themed Battle Pass, Lucio Ball & More!
Mythics, streetwear, and summer-ready style are heading your way! Unlock Legendary skins for Kiriko, Lifeweaver, Pharah, Hanzo, and Lucio. The Ultimate Battle Pass Bundle also unlocks additional Legendary skins, Poolside Wuyang and Lily Roadhog.
Meanwhile, Lucio Ball returns to the Summer Games event, with Lucio Ball Remix to add a slick new third-person POV. The high-flying Winston Volleyball will also be back to rally your squad on the court. Earn a new summer-colored World Cup Lucio skin and other seasonal rewards by logging in during the Summer Games event from September 2nd to 15th.
Upcoming: Official Persona Collaboration
We never saw this one coming. Season 18 will feature a cosmetics collaboration with the Persona franchise. The teaser was revealed at the end of the season preview trailer, hinting at an unnamed character as Joker, the leader of the Phantom Thieves from Persona 5. Based on the previous seasons, we’re likely to see more updates about this collaboration closer to the mid-season.
