Aug. 22 was a big day for Overwatch’s South Korean hero D.Va. Not only did she get an animated short, Shooting Star, but she’s also a big part of the new map, Busan.
But Blizzard’s updates aren’t only about the mech pilot. A new update on the Overwatch test server added the new map to the mix, but also overhauled Reinhardt’s often-broken Earthshatter ability among a few other changes.
Overwatch players have been complaining about Earthshatter issues for a while now, and the fix addresses those problems. “We’ve given Earthshatter a complete overhaul to combat inconsistencies with its performance,” Blizzard wrote in the patch notes. “These changes will make Earthshatter’s behavior more predictable and effective.”
Related: Overwatch is getting a new control map set in Busan, South Korea—and it’s live on the PTR now
Those changes include the ability to “consistently hit enemies near walls,” as well as to “always travel up inclines and around the payload.” Reinhardt’s Earthshatter will also no longer hit enemies “that enter the damage cone after the ‘wave’ has passed that area,” and will “no longer damage enemies behind barriers blocking it, even if the barrier is later dropped or destroyed.”
Earthshatter consistency has been a major problem in Overwatch. We’ll see if these changes fix that. According to Blizzard, it will.
Elsewhere in the patch notes, both Ana and Widowmaker got “increased precision” for their relative aim sensitivity sliders, specifically for when players are zoomed in using sniper mode. For Brigitte, the Swedish hero’s Shield Bash “now knocks down and get knocked down by other charging targets,” like Doomfist or Reinhardt.
The hero gallery got a new filter with today’s PTR update. Players are now able to view Overwatch’s cosmetics and customize searches to check out what’s on offer. There are categories available to search by rarity, unlocked or not, and seasonal event exclusives.
There’s one last unlisted change on the Overwatch PTR, which is the ability to see allied teammates’ outlines regardless of where they are on the map. Previously, players were only able to see a little triangle indicator to locate their teammates, but the new outlines make keeping track of allies a lot easier.
