How to try out Overwatch 2 abilities right now in the Workshop
Blizzard EntertainmentSeveral ambitious Overwatch fans are hard at work in the Workshop making custom modes to try out abilities from Overwatch 2 well before the game comes out.
BlizzConline 2021 has come and gone, but the weekend did give us the best look yet at the highly anticipated sequel to Overwatch.
What it did not give us was a release date or window for when the game might come out, but while we wait, several hard-working players are already looking to bring some of the new mechanics into the Overwatch we have now.
Mei’s “Snowball Effect” Overwatch 2 ability
Custom game maestro and Team Ireland Overwatch coach ‘Andygmb‘ caught the attention of Reddit recently by bringing the brand-new Mei ability that was shown off by Jeff and the team during BlizzConline into the game.
During the latest look at Overwatch 2, we saw more of a new ability of Mei’s called “Snowball Effect” where you can roll around like Wrecking Ball after using her Cryo-Freeze, now able to damage enemies while staying safe and frozen.
Not content with having to wait an unspecified amount of time to try it out, andy decided to bring the ability into Overwatch for Mei to use right now. Just like the preview of the move, Mei is able to roll around and decimate those poor Bastions.
If you want to try out this little preview of Mei in Overwatch 2, the Workshop code is: TT0MXQ. It’s also important to note that’s it’s currently only available on the PTR version of the game, so if you’re on a console you’ll have to wait a bit longer for your chance.
Reinhardt Overwatch 2 rework
We also got a look at Reinhardt’s major rework and new passive abilities coming in Overwatch 2 during Blizzconline. The crusader will now be able to cancel his charge and steer it much more accurately, rocking two Firestrike charges instead of just one, and a slew of other changes.
Workshop creator ‘capt captain’ wasted no time bringing these changes to Custom Mode, with a mode that adds every Overwatch 2 adjustment for the tank (listed below), some changes for Winston, and passive role changes using the code CBXAE.
- Charge cooldown lowered from 10 to 8 seconds.
- Charge can now be canceled manually by pressing the corresponding ability key.
- Reinhardt can steer easily while charging.
- Barrier field health lowered by 800 (from 1600 to 800).
Blizzard EntertainmentFinally, one of the most ambitious attempts yet to create Overwatch 2 in the workshop comes from creator LemonAid, whose PTR mode gives half the roster five abilities and lets players choose three, and also adds new mechanics and game modes to freshen things up.
Abilities include tossing multiple grenades as Ana, Genji’s Shuriken dealing 100% more damage from behind, and having both of Luico’s healing and speed songs play during amp it up, to name a few. The full list of changes can be found here.
Again, this is one that’s only available on the PTR for now with the code: FSEA3. The good news is that as the PTR changes go live, this will eventually be in the main game, however long that takes.
The long wait for Overwatch 2 shows no signs of slowing down, but at least there are players like the ones listed above and more that are working hard to give us a little playable preview way before any kind of beta or public playtest.
