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Get ready for a heavy dose of nostalgia. Through December 2,Overwatchplayers can experience the game in its original 1.0 state. The multiplayer shooter game was first released in May 2016 and introduced the first 21 heroes and 12 maps that would later spawn many major updates and a wildly successful esports league. But what players probably remember most about the game’s original release is how Mercy could swoop in and resurrect her whole party at once, or how Symmetra could teleport her team members to their spawn room from anywhere on the map.
Read on to learn more about the game’s original maps and how your favorite heroes are different in the Overwatch Classic event.
Overwatch Classic features the original 12 maps that were playable in Patch 1.0. They are divided between the four original game modes: Assault, Escort, Hybrid and Control.
Assault maps
Assault maps feature two objective points. One team defends the objective, while the other team must try to capture it. The following Assault maps are on rotation in Overwatch Classic:
Escort maps
Escort maps will feature one team escorting a payload throughout a map (attacking) while another team works to stop the payload (defending). The following Escort maps are on rotation in Overwatch Classic:
Hybrid maps
Hybrid maps combine Assault and Escort modes, where the attacking team must capture an objective, and then escort the objective’s payload through the rest of the map. The defending team must stop the payload from reaching the end. The following Hybrid maps are on rotation in Overwatch Classic:
Control maps
Control maps feature both teams fighting to capture an objective point in a best-of-three format. The following Control maps are on rotation in Overwatch Classic:
Hero changes
The game’s original 21 heroes are playable, and they are split into four categories: Offense Heroes, Defense Heroes, Tank Heroes and Support Heroes. You are not required to play an Offense Hero while attacking or a Defense Hero while defending. You can play any hero you want, with any team composition you want. Additionally, all heroes will have their original abilities restored, so their playstyle and ultimates might be a bit different from what you’re used to.
A complete list of heroes and changes for Overwatch Classic are listed below.
Offense Heroes
Cassidy’s damage output is higher in Overwatch Classic, with damage from fanning the hammer dealing 70 damage per projectile. Cassidy’s Flashbang has been restored to its original format, where heroes struck by it will be stunned and immobilized for a few seconds.
Additionally, Cassidy can cancel Deadeye and save up to half of his Ultimate charge.
Genji’s Dragonblade Ultimate enables him to attack for up to eight seconds.
Additionally, Double Jump will be reset as you wall climb.
Pharah can stay in the air for a longer amount of time and can bounce enemies off of ledges using Concussive Blast.
Additionally, Pharah’s Rocket Launcher Ultimate does higher splash explosion damage and more damage overall.
Reaper’s passive ability, The Reaping returns to its original format: Soul orbs drop from defeated enemies that restore 50 HP each to Reaper.
Wraith Form cannot be cancelled early.
Soldier: 76
Soldier: 76’s Heavy Pulse Rifle deals less damage per projectile, but his rifle has no recoil and has increased spread the longer you hold it.
Pulse Bomb deals significantly more damage and is capable of depleting the health of most heroes.
Defense Heroes
This version of Bastion has multiple forms; Sentry, which is immobile with a powerful rotary cannon; and Recon, which is mobile with an automatic weapon.
Bastion has a self-repair so he can heal himself and his Ultimate, Configuration: Tank, deals massive damage to targeted areas on the battlefield.
Hanzo’s original Scatter Arrow returns. Scatter Arrow launches a burst of projectiles that bounces off of walls.
Hanzo does not have his passive lunge ability, making him less mobile.
Junkrat’s Frag Launcher also deals damage to him, so use it carefully.
Additionally, Concussion Mine only has one charge.
The primary fire from Mei’s Endothermic Blaster more quickly freezes enemies.
Additionally, the pillars of Mei’s icewall have 500 health each.
Torbjorn can collect scraps to deploy armor packs that can be picked up by party members.
When Torbjorn’s turret is first placed on the battlefield, it will be Level 1, but it can be upgraded to do more damage using his Forge Hammer.
Widowmaker
Widowmaker has faster charged shots and deals more damage at long-range.
Additionally, Grappling Hook has a longer cooldown.
Tank Heroes
D.Va’s Defense Matrix continuously channels on a 10-second cooldown, and she no longer has access to Micro Missiles.
Additionally, pilot D.Va can be damaged from the blast of her Self-Destruct Ultimate, making using it effectively more challenging.
Reinhardt’s Earthshatter Ultimate affects a wider frontal range.
Additionally, Reinhardt’s Barrier Health is much higher than in the live game.
Roadhoag’s Chain Hook has a wider range, and he can deal a lethal combination with his scrap gun and a melee hit to deplete the health of most low HP heroes.
Winston no longer has access to his long-range attack that he has in the live game.
Additionally, the cooldown of Barrier Projector only starts after the shield expires, rather than when it is placed.
Zarya has separate cooldowns for Particle Barrier, which protects herself, and Projected Barrier, which protects an ally.
Additionally, Zarya gains energy from these abilities much more quickly than in the live game.
Support Heroes
Lucio’s Crossfade, which increases the effectiveness of his current song, affects a 30-meter radius vs the 10-meter radius in his live kit.
Mercy’s Ultimate Resurrect can target up to five of her allies to be revived immediately.
Symmetra returns to her original kit, which was designed more for support than dealing damage.
Symmetra’s Photon Shield grants her allies with shield health.
Additionally, Symmetra’s Ultimate Teleporter can place an exit teleporter anywhere on the map to be linked directly to the team’s spawn room.
Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord increases 50% of the damage received on its target.
Zenyatta does not have his Snap Kick passive, which is active in the live game.
Blizzard is Experimenting with 6v6 Overwatch 2 Matches
6v6 matches are coming to Overwatch 2 for the first time later this yea on a trial basis.
