A new Overwatch patch is currently in development and now available for testing on the Public Test Region. For information on how to participate and what changes are included in the upcoming patch, read on below.

Mission details:

If you encounter any game-related bugs while playing the PTR, please post in the PTR Bug Report forum.

To participate in the public test, you must have an Overwatch game license for Windows PC attached your Battle.net account in good standing (i.e. it hasn't been suspended or banned).

Step 1: Restart the Battle.net desktop app.

Step 2: Navigate to the Overwatch tab on the left-hand menu.

Step 3: Select "PTR: Overwatch" from the REGION/ACCOUNT drop-down menu.

Step 4: Click "Install" to begin the installation process.

Step 5: Once the PTR client is installed and updated, click "Play" to begin!

Note: In order to access the PTR, you must have installed Overwatch and logged into the game at least once. If the PTR is not available for you after following the steps above, trying logging into Overwatch, exiting the game client, and then launching the PTR again.

Q. On which platforms is the PTR available?

A. The PTR is available on Windows PC only.

Q. What regions are eligible to participate in the PTR?

A. Accounts from all regions (excluding China) are eligible to participate; however, the PTR will be hosted on our Americas region. As a result, if you plan to play the PTR from a region outside the US, please anticipate lowered performance and increased latency.

Q. Is there a cap to how many players can participate on the PTR?

A. The PTR can currently support 10k concurrent players (or players logged into the PTR at the same time). If we happen to reach this cap, any new players attempting to log in to the PTR will be placed into a queue.

Q. What languages will be supported on the PTR?

A. The PTR is available in all supported languages, though some content may not be fully localized yet.

Q. Will any account progress from the live game transfer over to the PTR with me, or do I need to start from scratch?

A. A copy of your account from the live game will be transferred over to the PTR automatically, and all progress will transfer over with it (level, unlocks, stats, etc.). Please note that this copy is pre-made, though, and based on an earlier snapshot of your account. As a result, depending on when you last played, your PTR account may not be as up-to-date as your live game account.

Q. Will any progress I make on the PTR transfer over to the live game?

A. No. Any progression earned during the PTR—including levels, achievements, stats, skill ratings, loot boxes (including rewards from loot boxes), currency (including Competitive Points), and cosmetic items unlocked with currency—will not transfer over to the live game.

Q. Will I be able to purchase Loot Boxes on the PTR?

A. No. All real-money purchases are disabled on the PTR.

Q. Where can I share feedback about the upcoming patch content?

A. This iteration of the PTR is intended to make sure the upcoming patch is working correctly before it's released, so we'll be primarily focused on uncovering major bugs and technical issues. Though you are still welcome to share your feedback through our normal channels, it's unlikely that we'll be able to incorporate changes based on PTR feedback in this patch cycle.

Please note that the below patch notes only include changes currently available for testing on the PTR. While many of these changes will also be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in a future patch, the PTR is PC-only and therefore will only reflect changes coming specifically to that platform.

PATCH HIGHLIGHTS

New Hero: Orisa (Tank)

Built from the scraps of the city’s decommissioned OR15 defense bots, Orisa is still learning how to optimally perform her function. What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in her steadfast dedication to keeping her city—and her creator, Efi—safe from harm.

Orisa is the sixth tank to join the Overwatch lineup, and much like her programming, her gameplay is engineered around protection. Her main weapon is a rapid-fire Fusion Driver, an automatic gun with good range and accuracy even at a distance—though it comes at a cost. Orisa’s movement slows down while she fires and players will need to plan for a lengthy reload time. Her alternate fire, Halt!, launches a graviton charge across the map, slowing nearby enemies as it passes, then pulling them toward it when it detonates.

Her Fortify ability boosts her personal defense, reducing damage taken and making her unstoppable for a short time. She can throw a device that creates a curved, stationary Protective Barrier, perfect for intercepting projectiles and shielding teammates from the front, sides, and above. Lastly, as her ultimate ability, Orisa deploys a high-powered Supercharger that beams a buff to allies within its range, increasing the damage they can inflict on the opposing team

To learn more about Orisa, click here.

GENERAL UPDATES

Game Browser

Players can now disable or modify abilities activated with the secondary fire button

HERO UPDATES

Bastion

Ironclad Bastion now takes 20% less damage while in Configuration: Sentry or Tank (formerly 35%)



Mercy

Caduceus Staff New commendation card has been added, which tracks the amount of increased damage that’s done when boosting another player



Zarya

Particle Barrier No longer protects Zarya from knockback

Projected Barrier No longer protects allies from knockback



BUG FIXES

General

When Teleporters, Shield Generators, and other player-owned objects are destroyed, the kill feed now properly displays the owner’s name

A.I.

Fixed a bug preventing Bastion and Torbjörn from taking a defensive position when turret abilities were disabled

Game Browser

Fixed a bug that could cause certain settings to appear on the Custom Game’s information screen even though they were not being used

Fixed an issue preventing values from the “Ultimate Generation” setting from being correctly displayed

Heroes and maps are now sorted alphabetically under the “Find Game” filters in the Game Browser

Fixed a bug preventing Bastion’s Self-Repair ability from being disabled in the Custom Game settings

Heroes

Fixed an issue preventing Bastion’s walking animation from being triggered while Self-Repair was in use

McCree no longer receives credit toward his On Fire meter when his Flashbang is used against Mei’s Ice Wall

Fixed an issue causing Zenyatta’s feet to clip through his robe with the Sanzang skin equipped

Fixed a bug causing Reaper's shotguns and D.Va's mech to appear unusually large on the main menu

Maps