Overwatch 2’s April Fools’ 2024 “Really, Really, Really Balanced” update was a joke patch playable only in the Arcade mode “Balanced Overwatch,” not a set of ordinary Competitive balance changes. Blizzard’s notes, published April 1, described intentionally outlandish hero tweaks and said a mode issue was planned to be fixed by April 8; they do not confirm whether that fix happened on schedule.
What was Overwatch 2’s April Fools’ 2024 patch?
Blizzard’s official April 1, 2024 patch notes titled the update “Overwatch 2 Really, Really, Really Balanced Patch Notes.” The premise was that balance changes supposedly missed during the Season 9 competitive update were finally being applied. In practice, the notes describe an April Fools’ event mode: the changes appeared in the Arcade mode “Balanced Overwatch,” rather than in the game’s normal modes.
The patch ranged across tank, damage, and support heroes. Its ability descriptions and developer comments made the comic intent clear: D.Va’s entry included “Mech go zoom and D.Va bomb go boom,” while another comment joked about retconning Wrecking Ball into a crab. The comments are attributed to “Developer Comments” in the notes, not to named developers.
Could you play the changes in Competitive?
No. Blizzard said the changes were reflected only in “Balanced Overwatch,” an Arcade mode. The patch notes therefore do not describe a Competitive balance update or changes to the standard modes. The event’s purpose and tone were different from routine balance tuning, even though the notes used familiar patch-note formatting.
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What changed in the joke patch?
The notes cover many heroes; the examples below show the kind of exaggerated changes the event used. These are descriptions of the April Fools’ mode, not instructions or claims about current gameplay.
Tank heroes
- D.Va: Boosters could move backward and be canceled with crouch; Self-Destruct knockback was increased by 900%.
- Doomfist: Power Block’s movement modifier rose from 0.65x to 1.25x, and Power Block and Meteor Strike empowered his next Quick Melee.
- Winston: Tesla Cannon secondary fire chained between enemies, as did the lightning from Primal Rage punches.
- Zarya: Her barriers made the bubbled target 1.75 times larger.
Damage heroes
- Bastion: Assault configuration became the default and received 150 ammo; Reconfigure switched him to Recon.
- Mei: She gained an airborne ability that created an ice pillar beneath her.
- Pharah: She gained an aerial downward dash.
- Sojourn: Disruptor Shot pulled enemies when deployed.
- Widowmaker: She gained three Grappling Hook charges, with scoped-fire critical hits replenishing one.
Support heroes
- Ana: Sleep Dart made sleeping enemies rise slowly and take fall damage when they landed.
- Kiriko: Protection Suzu added deliberately outsized damage, healing, movement, and jump bonuses; she also gained an extra midair jump.
- Lifeweaver: Petal Platform rose 20 meters instead of 8.
- Moira: The damage and healing functions of Biotic Grasp’s primary and secondary fire were swapped.
One broad change affected hero swapping: the maximum ultimate charge retained when switching heroes rose from 15% to 49%. These percentages are patch values stated in the event notes, not measured player outcomes.
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When was Balanced Overwatch supposed to end?
The April 1 notes said Blizzard planned to fix a mode issue by April 8. That is an announced target, not confirmation that the mode ended or the issue was fixed on that date. The notes establish the plan, but not its eventual outcome.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you read the full list?
The official April 2024 live patch-notes archive contains the complete April 1 entry, including changes beyond the representative hero examples above: Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 live patch notes.
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