Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Summer is almost over, but there's still another annual event on the calendar before it ends. This is the time of year that Overwatch gets into the seasonal spirit by launching its annual Summer Games event. And after a couple of days of teases, the Overwatch Summer Games has officially launched, bringing back limited-time favorite game mode Lucioball for the ride. However, for this year, Blizzard is taking Lucioball and flipping and reversing it.
In addition to the normal Lucioball, players will now be introduced to Lucioball Remix. This is a much faster take on the usual Lucioball game mode, utilizing two balls. Both balls will be in play, requiring players to be alert on more than one front. If a team scores with one ball, that ball will respawn after a brief cooldown. More than that, players are not reset after a score, keeping the action moving quickly. Play will continue until time runs out or until one team attains a ten-point lead.
To help facilitate Lucioball Remix play, some of Overwatch's maps are receiving a few adjustments. Busan will receive some additional pillars and surfaces to allow for wall-riding, while Sydney receives a series of new jump pads.
The standard Lucioball is also being updated. Players can now crouch in midair to help them lunge towards the ground. Lucio's base speed is increased, his cooldowns are shortened, his boop and punch ranges are extended, and jump pads will launch players a little higher. There's also a mercy rule in place after a five-point lead, so if things get one-sided, the pain won't last too long.
The Overwatch Summer Games also brings along some new cosmetics, including five Legendary Skins. Blizzard teased two of these on Monday, offering a first look at Lifeguard Pharah and Surf's Up Echo. They'll be joined by Tropical Baptiste, Fiskaren Brigitte, and Karate Doomfist, as well as three new Epic Skins. Players can also earn additional rewards by winning up to nine games a week for the next three weeks across Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade modes. All previous Overwatch Summer Games unlockables will also be available to earn over the course of this event.
The Overwatch Summer Games are officially underway across PC and consoles and will run until August 26. For more details on this year's event, check out the Overwatch website.