The Overwatch 2 Spotlight had a lot to show for season 15 and beyond (including more Le Sserafim!)

The first Overwatch 2 spotlight gave us a lot to look forward to, both from new gameplay, and upcoming cosmetics. We got to see some new stuff coming for season 15, and more things to expect in the months to come.

As Lucio says, let’s break it down.

Coming in Season 15

The biggest change to gameplay coming in season 15 is the addition of Perks. Perks are an upgrade to your hero’s kit, given by offering you a choice between two options. This allows you to alter your play style in-game. The minor perks are light upgrades or boosts to your kit, but the major perk is a powerful upgrade that changes your impact through the rest of the game. For example, Orisa’s Major will allow you to swap her Javelin Spin ability with a shield, or being able to charge up her Javelin to knock back her enemies further, and even pierce through them when fully charged. These perks will be adjusted on a regular cadence throughout the season, with big refreshes mid-season. They are meant to assist in balancing gameplay in real-time.

Overwatch Classic returns in season 15 with OW Classic GOATS. This meta is heavy on shields and ultimates; enjoy possibly one of the most frustrating metas this upcoming season!

The season 15 Mythic skin is a new skin for Zenyatta; this skin was inspired by the golden dragon Pixiu. Widowmaker receives the fifth mythic weapon, which arrives mid-season. A second collaboration with Le Sserafim also arrives this season, with new skins and cosmetics. This season’s competitive reward is the “Galactic Weapon” variant, which feels out of this world. You will receive weapon charms in the following season at Platinum and above. Additionally, rank icons are returning in Competitive modes. The rank reset this season is more of a soft than a hard level set this season, and we’ll continue to see changes going forward, the first of which — hero bans — has been announced for season 16, with map voting to be added at a later date. There will also be a new Competitive mode debuting in season 15: 6v6 is home at last.

And speaking of old stuff like 6v6, somehow, loot boxes have returned.

Season 16 and beyond

A new game mode is coming in Season 16 called Stadium. This mode is fast-paced with 5v5 teams where the best-of-seven wins. Mods unlock and customize abilities for your Hero, purchased through in-game coins. It’s unclear how these coins are earned. Motion sick FPS players rejoice: you can play this from a first-person or third-person perspective. These upgrades build throughout the match, so you must know your choices as you build out your hero. Early mods are cheaper and provide immediate benefits while slowly increasing cost and capabilities. As you work through the match, you will earn traits without cost that enhance hero gameplay. There will be 14 heroes and seven maps immediately available. More Hero modes and maps will be added as the months progress.

The Overwatch 2 team let us know to expect some old favorite limited-time events to continue returning through the end of the year. Events listed were Lunar New Year, April Fools, the Summer Games, and Doctor Junkenstein.

They didn’t neglect to showcase some future cosmetics, either. Mahou Shoujo, Dokiwatch, inspires season 16 Mythics. Juno receives a Mythic skin in season 16, pink and pastel yellow, including her animal familiars from Dokiwatch. Mercy gets the sixth Mythic weapon mid-season. In Season 17, D’Va receives the mythic skin based on the Korean national animal, the Siberian tiger. Reaper will receive the seventh Mythic weapon mid-season, with separate weapons for each hand.

And the best part of any big flashy announcement reel is a new Hero. Season 16 will bring us Freja, codenamed Wind-Dasher, from Denmark. She was initially a search and rescue operative but is now a bounty hunter. She has a unique kit: an “explosive” crossbow and cape that provides flight—think Echo or Juno. Her ultimate is the bolo-shot, which wraps up your enemy and possibly draws in nearby opponents for a destructive explosion. Hero 44, who is code named Aqua (for now), will be introduced in Season 18. Aqua is a water wielder, and more details will be released in the coming months.