Overwatch 2 Season 9 So Far — Ranked Update, Release Date, Emerald Weapons
The Overwatch 2 community is already wondering about Season 9 after hearing some interesting game-changing possibilities. While Season 8 has only just begun, you know how gamers are. Here is everything we know about Overwatch 2 Season 9 so far, from competitive changes to the introduction of Emerald Weapons.
When Is Overwatch 2 Season 9 Coming Out?
Blizzard has yet to give us an exact release date for Season 9 but it’s easy to speculate based on the season timeline up until now. Season 8 is ending on February 20, 2024, so you should expect Season 9 to go live that day with a new battle pass. Something could always happen so stay tuned for any developer updates.
Your Guide to Winning Freezethaw Elimination in Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 Season 9 Ranked Update
Overwatch 2 developers have confirmed that big competitive changes are coming in Season 9. At BlizzCon last month, it was announced that ranked progression will work a bit differently from that point on.
The biggest change is the implementation of a progression bar that will show exactly how much each game has impacted your progression towards the next rank. You’ll also see modifiers like “advantage,” streak,” and calibration” that instantly explain how you earned the progression you earned. This will address the lack of transparency that players have complained about the past few seasons.
On top of that, there will be a new rank. All ranks will be the same until you reach Grandmaster. There will now be a rank above that known as Ultimate. This will create a bit more competitive urgency for top-ranked players going into Season 9.
To make Overwatch 2 more enticing to more players, Blizzard is also looking to reduce competitive grouping restrictions. This is an attempt to get friend groups to play together more even if they are at different ranks. Keep in mind that matchmaking could take a while if your group has a big range since the game will be searching for an opposing team with a similar makeup.
Overwatch 2 Season 9 Emerald Weapons
A major feature in Season 9 is the introduction of Emerald Weapons. These special weapons can only be purchased with Competitive Points.
But don’t start cheering just yet. Your CP will be changed to Legacy Currency after Season 8, which can only buy Gold Weapons. You’ll have to purchase Emerald Weapons with CP you get in Season 9, encouraging players to grind.
But are the Emerald Weapons worth it? While they don’t have any in-game advantages, you can show off your skills on a certain hero by equipping an Emerald Weapon. Still, we will only know if it’s worth the grind once we find out how much it will actually cost to unlock them. New Emerald Weapons will be introduced each year.
Overwatch 2 Season 9 Will Possibly Include Venture Playtesting
The next hero to arrive in Overwatch 2 is Venture. This non-binary hero carries a large drill and has a lot of cool underground mobility. Unfortunately, not much more is known about them. They’ll be coming out in Season 10, which is in the spring of 2024.
But a lot of people are speculating that Venture will have a playtest opportunity during Season 9, similar to how Mauga had a free trial weekend a month before he was officially released. This would allow developers to make adjustments and gather feedback.
What We Know About Venture
During BlizzCon, we got some insight into Venture’s abilities. Their primary fire is an AoE projectile that goes a short distance, exploding on contact with surfaces or enemies. You’ll be encouraged to get up close before firing, which you can do with your first ability.
The first ability Venture has allows them to burrow underground. You’ll be invulnerable while digging, allowing you to race forward. Then, emerge from the ground either manually or when time runs out, causing an AoE burst of damage.
Venture’s second ability is a forward dash that damages enemies in their path. Venture will also gain a 50 HP shield for a few seconds. It’s clear that Venture will be focused on aggressive movement and up close action.
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!