On August 22, Blizzard Entertainment unveiled the comprehensive patch notes for Overwatch 2 Season 18, marking a significant milestone with the introduction of Wuyang as a new Support hero and the eagerly anticipated return of the Summer Games event. The new season launches on August 26, bringing substantial changes including a revamped hero progression system and native mouse and keyboard support for console players.

Wuyang emerges as the 44th playable hero in the Overwatch universe, utilizing aquatic-based abilities to heal allies and disrupt enemies in team engagements. Originally known by the development codename "Aqua," this water-bending support character underwent extensive player testing from August 14-18, allowing the community to experience his unique mechanics in Quick Play matches before his official competitive debut.

The 2025 Summer Games event returns shortly after Season 18's launch, featuring fan-favorite modes including Lúcio Ball and Winston Volleyball. Inspired by real-world Olympic competitions, this seasonal event typically runs during July or early August but this year extends from September 2-15. Players can earn exclusive summer-themed skins for Lúcio and other seasonal rewards through participation.

Season 18 introduces sweeping balance changes across the hero roster, including adjustments to armor and damage reduction mechanics that now cap at 50% outside of specific ability enhancements. The update also brings new hero-specific perks that align with each character's identity, such as additional slow effects for Doomfist's Seismic Slam and bonus damage for Genji's Swift Strike against weakened opponents.

A groundbreaking addition for console players arrives with native mouse and keyboard support. The matchmaking system now categorizes players into Mouse and Keyboard Pool or Controller Pool, allowing console users to choose their preferred input method. However, PC players cannot access the Controller Pool or aim assist features, and attempts to bypass these restrictions will be treated as cheating violations.

The season also features crossover events with popular franchises, including the return of the Cowboy Bebop collaboration and an upcoming Persona 5 crossover. The Hero Progression 2.0 system completely overhaul's player advancement with faster leveling, prestige systems, and new cosmetic rewards including animated Ascended borders that display during matches.

Additional quality-of-life improvements include real-time text moderation that automatically hides potentially disruptive chat messages, a reduced barrier to competitive play requiring only 20 wins in Unranked matches, and an Advanced Information Panel that provides detailed statistics about weapons, abilities, and game mechanics during matches.

The competitive landscape undergoes significant changes with the return of Skill Rating (SR) in a new form that evaluates performance on individual heroes rather than overall account performance. All competitive ranks have been reset to Unranked, requiring players to complete placement matches across all roles. New competitive rewards include Freja's Galactic skin for achieving Diamond rank or higher.

Stadium mode receives substantial updates with the introduction of Stadium Quick Play, featuring shorter match times, accelerated economy systems, and backfill support. New Payload Race maps offer symmetrical gameplay where teams race to push their payload to the finish line while contesting opponents' progress. The mode also introduces new competitive restrictions and dynamic point adjustments based on player performance.