The mode wasn't supposed to launch until next week on console.
Blizzard released an update for Overwatch's Xbox One version today that, among other things, adds the highly anticipated Competitive mode. The developer previously said the mode, which launched for PC this week, wouldn't come out next week on console. It hasn't launched yet on PlayStation 4, but we'll keep you updated as to when it does.
As detailed previously, Overwatch's Competitive Play mode is available after you reach level 25. Once you do that, it will show up under the "Play" button in the main menu. For lots more on Competitive mode, check out this post that covers everything you need to know.
Today's Overwatch Xbox One update also makes a number of gameplay changes, one of which is that dead-zone controls should now be improved. This will ideally give players "increased accuracy during off-center and diagonal stick movement." Another new feature is an option to adjust aim assist strength (the default is full strength).
The update also removes the "Avoid This Player" option, while McCree is now available as an AI hero in Practice, Play vs. AI, and custom game modes.
There are also some balance changes for McCree and Widowmaker. McCree was performing "too well," Blizzard said, and as such, the patch decreases his bullet damage from 70 to 45. Additionally, the time before McCree starts reloading (recovery time) has been decreased from 0.75 seconds to 0.3 seconds.
As for Widowmaker, the base damage for her Widow's Kiss scoped shot has been decreased from 15 to 12, though the scope shot damage multiplayer is the same. Additionally, you need to now wait for the unscoping animation to end fully finishing before scoping again.
Her Infra-Sight cost has been increased by 10 percent; additionally, when activating this, her voice will be heard across the map.
"In the right hands, Widowmaker can often feel unstoppable," Blizzard said. "Even when just landing body shots instead of critical head shots. The changes to her alternate fire weaken body shot damage while leaving her headshot damage unchanged."
"Additionally, we felt her Ultimate ability, Infra-Sight, was coming up a little too frequently, especially considering its impact on the game," the developer added.
There are also a number of bug fixes included with the update. These are listed below.
BUG FIXES
General
- Fixed a bug preventing players from being able to leave as a group
- Fixed a bug that would cause players’ weapons to auto-snap straight up or down when the crosshair was aimed between 85 and 90 degrees
- Fixed a bug that caused players who backfilled and then completed a game to sometimes receive a loss on their Career Profile and not receive their XP bonus for backfilling
- Fixed a bug that would move players toward the source of a knockback rather than away from it
- Fixed a bug that caused Hearthstone-themed sprays to ignore localization
- Fixed several framerate issues that could occur when cycling through the hero selection menu
- Fixed a variety of issues with and made several improvements to ambient lighting
- Made some improvements to how AI heroes respond to one another
- Made a variety of performance and optimization improvements across the game
Maps
- Players can no longer be resurrected in out-of-play areas on Ilios
- Fixed an issue with collision on certain areas of Dorado not blocking line of sight
Heroes
- Fixed a bug with the "Junkrat RIP-Tire Kills—Average" lifetime statistic
- Fixed a bug that allowed Mercy to gain Ultimate charge whenever damage boosting an ally who was attacking a barrier or Ice Wall
- Fixed a bug that allowed Reaper to Shadow Step to unintended locations on certain maps
- Fixed a bug that would sometimes cause projectiles to hit Reinhardt instead of his Barrier Field
- Fixed a bug that allowed Torbjörn to pick up Scrap while dead
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