Doomfist, better loot boxes and highlights are coming in the next Overwatch patch

The new Overwatch patch is still a ways out, but we can expect it to hit before the next Summer Games event. This patch is light on balance changes, but that makes sense. We just saw big changes to McCree, Reaper, and Roadhog... and we’re getting a new hero who’s bound to shake up the meta. Our next update is going to be a big one, and while Doomfist is bound to steal the spotlight, we’re getting some much needed changes to loot boxes and highlights.

While there’s no release date, last year’s Summer Games dropped in August to run alongside the real world event. If Doomfist enjoys the same amount of time on the PTR as the preceding hero, Orisa, the timing lines up perfectly for an August Doomfist drop.

The Man Himself

Yes, we’re getting Doomfist, but don’t expect him to hit live just yet. Despite our speculation, Blizzard have not announced the next patch’s release date, and they want to make sure Doomfist has as long as he needs to get all the balance issues and bugs sorted out. His ability set is one of the most ambitious kits in Overwatch yet, so we can expect him to get tested and tweaked over the coming weeks.

Less duplicates, more credits

Are you tired of getting four Torbjorn legendaries in a row? Blizzard is finally addressing long standing complaints about the loot box lottery. First, duplicates are going to be drastically cut down. To compensate, we’re going to be getting more credits. This should, in theory, lead to more skin diversity from loot boxes while still giving players a good amount of dosh to drop on new cosmetics.

Remember, loot box contents are generated upon purchase, so don’t buy them now to stockpile them for the changes. If you want to test the changes, anyone who logs into the PTR will get five loot boxes. They won’t carry over to live, but they should give you an idea of how loot shakes out now.

Highlight madness!

The new highlight system is being tested on PTR and will go live on PTR, just in time for you to capture all of your sick Doomfist plays. You can capture your own plays by requesting highlights, or sort through your top 5 plays that the game automatically generates. Highlights are saved for a full 24 hours, so you don’t lose them when you log out.

Finally, you’ll be able to easily export highlights as video files at any quality you want. Even players who are struggling with low end settings can have their Pharah POTG saved in crisp, high detail 60 FPS. This really is a utopian future!

We’ll be continuing to cover Doomfist and his impact on Overwatch in the coming weeks.