Home » Overwatch 2 January 2026 Midseason Patch is live

Overwatch 2 January 2026 Midseason Patch is live: Full Notes

Connor Knudsen

Publish Date: January 8, 2026

Overwatch 2 has just added a new midseason update to Season 20, adding a new game mode and making a litany of Hero balance changes. This will be a larger “rebase” patch as well, so be prepared for a lengthy download.

Overwatch 2 Season 20 Midseason Patch Notes

The midseason patch notes for Overwatch 2 Season 20 can be found on the Blizzard website or below. We had previously reported that this is a larger “rebase patch,” which was also confirmed in the notes.

Game and Event Updates

Rebase

2.20.1 is a full rebase, all platforms. Expect a much larger than usual patch size, specifically for consoles.

Showdown Shuffle

Showdown returns with a twist! From January 13-26, Heroes shuffle mid-match and wild modifiers keep the chaos coming. Complete challenges to earn cosmetics, lootboxes and Battle Pass XP!

Here is the list of modifiers that will randomly rotate during the match:

Mini Maxing
- All heroes are 50% smaller. Health reduced by 30%
Lie Low
- Heroes become invisible while crouching. However, their invisibility can still be detected at a short distance. The hero stops being invisible when they receive damage or attacks.
Power Punch
- Quick melee attacks knock back enemies
Vampiric Healing
- Heroes don’t passively regenerate HP, but each hero has the vampiric passive
Aerial Combat
- Heroes deal and receive 50% more damage while in the air. Gravity decreased
Back in Action
- Respawn time decreased. Does not apply during Overtime.
Damage Pack
- Health packs also increase damage dealt by 250% for 10-20 seconds or until death.
Berserkers
- Heroes don’t passively regenerate HP. For each 10% of total HP lost, increases attack speed by 6% and reduce cooldowns by 6%.
Super Jump
- Heroes jump 200% higher
Explosive
- Heroes explode on death, dealing damage to all nearby heroes.
Hyper Speed
- Movement speed is increased by 30% for all heroes.
Buff Hunt
- Every minute, one random hero has increased HP, deals more damage, and generates ult charge faster. Elimnate the buffed hero to gain the buff.

Quick Play Hacked: Assault Returns!

Play the classic Assault maps this weekend January 8-11 in our latest Quick Play: Hacked – in 5v5, 6v6 and Mystery Heroes queues!

Junkrat’s Loot Hunt

Junkrat’s Loot Hunt is back again, running from January 22-25! Earn lootboxes by completing challenges that unlock as you play!

Tank Updates

Doomfist

Empowered Punch can be held indefinitely, creating situations with limited counterplay. Adding a duration sets clearer expectations while maintaining its intended impact. The Power Matrix adjustment aligns its effective area more closely with Doomfist’s model for gameplay clarity.

Rocket Punch

Empowered punch now deteriorates after 20 seconds.

Power Matrix perk

Projectile absorption area scaled down to more closely match the size of Doomfist’s model.

D.Va

Extended Boosters successfully encouraged more aggressive Booster usage, but the damage bonus was too high for a minor perk. Reducing the value maintains its purpose while lowering overall lethality.

Extended Boosters perk

Additional Booster damage reduced from 100% to 40%.

Roadhog

Whole Hog’s knockback can make confirming eliminations difficult. This small damage increase improves its reliability, especially in open spaces.

Whole Hog

Damage per pellet increased from 6 to 7.

Damage Updates

Ashe

The increased falloff range helped reinforce Ashe’s role as a long-range hitscan, but it has made her damage output too consistent at far distances. Partially reverting this change reins in her long-range pressure while preserving this identity.

Viper’s Sting perk

Ammo gained reduced from 2 to 1.

The Viper

Secondary fire falloff range reduced from 40-60 meters to 35-55 meters.

Bastion

Recent fire-rate improvements enhanced the feel of Bastion’s primary fire but also increased his damage output more than desired. Reducing damage slightly offsets this while keeping the improved weapon flow intact.

Configuration Recon

Damage reduced from 25 to 23.

Freja

The primary-fire adjustments improve Freja’s baseline weapon consistency and reduce her reliance on empowered bolts. Increasing Take Aim’s damage restores an important breakpoint against 225-health targets while keeping its overall impact in check.

Revdraw Crossbow primary fire

Maximum spread reduced from 2 to 1.5 degrees.
Spread now ramps up more slowly and fans out horizontally.

Take Aim

Impact damage increased from 30 to 35.

Genji

Genji’s ammo allows more consistent pressure in fights and secure kills without needing to reload as often.

Shuriken

Ammo increased from 24 to 30.

Symmetra

Reducing the secondary-fire projectile size increases the precision required to use it effectively. Lowering Teleporter durability provides clearer counterplay and encourages more deliberate placement.

Photon Projector Secondary fire

Base projectile size reduced from 0.5 to 0.4 meters.

Teleporter

Base shield health reduced from 250 to 200.

Vendetta

While recent changes improved ability flow, Vendetta’s overall lethality has remained too high. These adjustments reduce key breakpoints and alter the combinations required to secure eliminations.

Projected Edge

Damage reduced from 80 to 70.

Soaring Slice

Soaring Slice now starts on cooldown when respawning (does not apply when Resurrected or in Death Match)

Whirlwind Dash

Damage reduced from 80 to 70.

Raging Storm perk

Damage reduced from 40 to 35 per spin.

Venture

Drill Dash could feel too reliable when used in close proximity. Reducing the radius requires slightly more control and better aligns the ability’s impact with its visual size.

Drill Dash

Radius reduced from 2.4 to 2.0 meters.

Support Updates

Illari

Illari offers less utility than other offensively oriented supports, so increasing her damage raises her impact and improves her effectiveness when she’s positioned well and landing shots.

Solar Rifle

Maximum damage increased from 70 to 75.
Minimum damage increased from 20 to 25.

Lucio

Soundwave can be disruptive on a short cooldown. Increasing its cooldown reduces how frequently it can be used and slightly lowers Lucio’s overall pressure.

Soundwave

Cooldown increased from 4 to 5 seconds.

Moira

This change increases Coalescence generation to better align its impact with other support ultimates.

Ultimate cost reduced by 7%.

Zenyatta

Zenyatta’s limited survivability and defensive options can limit his overall impact. Increasing Discord Orb’s amplification improves his contribution when he’s able to position safely and keep the Discord Orb active.

Discord Orb

Damage amplification increased from 25% to 30%.

Bug Fixes

General

Fixed an issue where D.Va’s Precision Fusion perk incorrectly applied to Micro Missiles instead of only her primary fire.
Fixed an issue where Cassidy could not ping enemies through walls during Deadeye, he now matches other heroes with conditional wall visibility. (no ticket)
Fixed an issue where aim assist would trigger on friendly pets and deployables.
Fixed an issue where Moira’s Biotic Grasp would not target Lifeweaver’s Petal Platform.
Fixed a bug that allowed Vendetta to temporarily store her Palatine Fang’s overhead slash
Fixed an issue in 6v6 Open Queue where Zarya’s Projected Barrier would not activate when holding the button early before targeting a teammate, matching the Role Queue experience.
Fixed an issue where Wuyang’s “Superflexor” mod would not activate on healing.
Fixed an issue where Mercy’s “Supply Surge” power would incorrectly grant Winston unlimited ammo.
Fixed an issue where Sigma’s “Astrophysical” power would not trigger other “on ability use” powers.
Fixed an issue with the trap on Junkrat’s mythic skin

Stadium

Fixed an issue where the general item “Superflexor” would not activate on healing for Wuyang.
Fixed an issue where Mercy’s “Supply Surge” power would incorrectly grant Winston unlimited ammo.
Fixed an issue where Sigma’s “Astrophysical” power would not trigger other “on ability use” powers.
Fixed an issue where Genji’s Dragonblade wasn’t counted as Ability Damage for Ability Damage effects
Fixed an issue where the Gadget “Colossus Core” wasn’t sometimes not properly granting Knockback Resist
Fixed an issue where the general item “Mark of the Kitsune” wasn’t counted as Ability Damage for Ability Damage effects
Fixed an issue where Doomfist’s “Block Party” power could be kept permanently if sold in the shopping phase. Block Party has been re-enabled.