Blizzard Entertainment has released a blog post covering everything being added to Overwatch 2 halfway through Season 17.
From the Flashpoint map reworks, to the new support hero Wuyang’s hero trial date, here are the biggest highlights coming in the midseason update.
Overwatch 2 brings Flashpoint Map Reworks
Details about the Flashpoint rework were revealed back in June, noting changes coming to New Junk City and Suravasa. According to the post, the reworks were made to make ‘navigating and understanding’ maps easier, creating ‘stronger’ and ‘more distinct’ areas of the map, and ensuring objective points were ‘less contained’.
Suravasa itself has seen large blockers in the street removed to create more open sightlines, and removing structures outside of spawn to make the beginning of rounds faster. It has also removed any unused paths in the map to ‘streamline’ games.
On the other hand, New Junk City will undergo changes to appear less chaotic and feature stronger themes. Areas like the Bomb Flats, Junkyard and the Refinery will have more visual elements to aid navigation. Others, like the Ducts and the Thunderdome, will be more connected for fluid movement.
Wuyang Trial Arriving in Overwatch 2 Season 17 Midseason
Overwatch 2’s highly anticipated support hero, Wuyang, will have a hero trial before his scheduled release for Season 18. The 44th addition to the hero shooter will be available to play temporarily from August 14th to 18th, 2025.
Other details include subtle teases over what players can expect from his kit. Wuyang is all about ‘rhythm, disruption and flow-based control’. It also states that he is capable of ‘fluid healing, hybrid damage utility, and mobility,’ with a steep learning curve to overcome.
Competitive Drives Return in Season 17
Competitive Drives will be making a return during Season 17, available from August 21st to 25th, 2025. The drives will be earned differently this time around, as Drive Score will only be earned through wins, and losses will only take effect after the first checkpoint.
More points will be required to reach the top tier, but points can now be earned through Competitive and Stadium. Bonus points can also be earned when playing in a squad.
Players who climb high enough will earn the Season 17 signature, with a Prestige upgrade available for those who completed the previous drive.
