When it rains it pours and in this instance, Overwatch news is raining down. First up, there's a new patch that makes a few tweaks to certain Heroes (notably Roadhog, McCree and Reindhart). There's also a new Beta Weekend Test arriving, with the second and final weekend beginning on Friday, April 15 at 9:00 a.m. PDT and end on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 p.m. PDT. Take a look at the patch notes and all the details surrounding the testing period below. 

[Update] It looks like the update has been rolled back. Here's the scoop. 

Patch Notes

GENERAL

Competitive Play

• Players in Heroic can now be matched into a Competitive Play game with non-Heroic players, but only after waiting in queue for a moderate period of time

Performance

• Implemented several CPU efficiency improvements for CPUs that do not support hyper-threading

MAP BALANCE CHANGES

Volskaya Industries

• Increased time required to capture both objectives

King's Row

• Increased time required to capture the first objective

HERO BALANCE CHANGES

McCree 

• Flashbang
  • Stun duration increased by 0.2 seconds
  • Recovery time (i.e. the time before McCree can shoot again) increased by 0.2 seconds

Developer Comments: This change should help McCree better orient to his targets after stunning them with Flashbang, and give his teammates more opportunities to capitalize on its use. 

Reinhardt

• Earthshatter
  • Reinhardt no longer gains Ultimate charge from using Earthshatter

Developer comments: This is general rule we have in place that prevents heroes from generating Ultimate charge when using their Ultimate, but Reinhardt was previously overlooked. 

Roadhog

• Chain Hook
  • Now pulls smaller targets closer than larger targets
• Whole Hog
  • Decreased the movement speed penalty

Developer comments: The change to Chain Hook should enable Roadhog to more reliably kill smaller heroes after a successful pull. Since Roadhog’s primary fire has such a wide spread, this allowed smaller heroes to avoid the majority of incoming damage from Roadhog after they were hooked. For Whole Hog, we feel the movement change helps the ability be more flexible while also making it less dangerous for Roadhog to use.

BUG FIXES

General

• Fixed an issue that caused respawning players to face in the direction of the Kill Cam feed
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused players to respawn twice
• Fixed an issue with Competitive Play that would cause the game to start before all slots on both teams were filled
• Fixed an issue where the End of Match would only show the Victory Lineup
• Fixed an issue with the sizing of sprays on specific surfaces in Route 66

User Interface

• Fixed an issue where Custom Reticle could not be reset to default
• Fixed an issue where Custom Reticle was not persisting
• Fixed an issue that caused chat to scroll
• Fixed an issue where hero-specific bindings would reset after round transition on a Control map
• Fixed where selecting ALT + Z on the Highlights menu would display a black screen

Beta Weekend Details

Play Instructions

Our second and final Beta Test Weekend will begin on Friday, April 15 at 9:00 a.m. PDT and end on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 p.m. PDT. 

To help us get the most out of this testing phase, we will be flagging accounts for the Beta Test Weekend beginning in the afternoon Pacific Time on Thursday, April 14. Once flagged, we encourage all new recruits to download and install the beta client so you can be ready for action once the stress test officially begins. 

If you're selected to participate in this Beta Test Weekend, you'll see an Install button appear in the Overwatch tab of your Battle.net desktop app as well as an Overwatch Beta license in the YOUR GAME ACCOUNTS section ofBattle.net Account Management.

You'll also receive a Beta Test Weekend invitation sent via email to your registered address; however, please note that these messages are sometimes slow to arrive. 

Mission Details

During the Beta Test Weekend, all players (including those currently in the Closed Beta) will have access to the full roster of 21 heroes and a limited selection of maps: Hanamura, Route 66, and Nepal. Certain features will also be unavailable during this Beta Test Weekend including Weekly Brawl! and Competitive Play. 

Since this is a stress test, we're primarily interested in your technical feedback, like how Overwatch runs on your system, your experience with the beta servers, critical bug reports, and other game-impacting problems. One of our goals is to push our hardware to the limit, so don't be surprised if you experience performance issues or run into unexpected downtime—that's all part of the process. 

Installation and Play Instructions

Before you begin, you'll first need to download the game. To install and play on April 15–16, please follow the instructions below. Note that if you're already in the Closed Beta, you do not need to repeat these steps or reinstall the game.

Step 1: Download the Battle.net desktop app, if you haven't already, and launch it.

Step 2: Log in using the Battle.net account that was flagged for Beta Test Weekend access.

Step 3: Click the Overwatch icon, located on the left-hand side of the Battle.net desktop app.

Step 4: Select your region from the drop-down menu, then click Install to begin the installation process.

Step 5: Once the Beta Test Weekend gets underway, select "Americas" from the drop-down and click Play to begin!

Note that even though you will need to select "Americas" to play during this Beta Test Weekend, once logged in you will be automatically routed to servers appropriate for your region and ping. 

If you're new to team shooters like Overwatch, you might want to first play through the in-game Tutorial, Practice Range, or Practice vs. AI modes to learn the ropes. We also recommend checking out our hero overviews, accessed via the Hero Gallery or by hitting F1 when in a game, to get a feel for how each of our heroes operate. 

Feedback and Bug Reporting

We've set up a few dedicated communications channels where Beta Test Weekend participants can discuss gameplay, report bugs, and talk about their experience with fellow players:

• Stress Test Feedback – Share your feedback on heroes, features, systems, and more.
• Stress Test Bug Report  – Report any in-game bugs you find during gameplay.
• Stress Tech Support – Report any technical issues you encounter while playing.

These forums will require a Beta Test Weekend license in order to post. As a result, please note that you'll no longer be able to create new threads or reply to existing topics once the Beta Test Weekend concludes.

Beta Test Weekend FAQ

Q. How long will the Beta Test Weekend last?
A. This Beta Test Weekend begins on Friday, April 15 at 9:00 a.m. PDT and ends on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 p.m. PDT.

Q. How will I know if I'm selected to participate in the Beta Test Weekend?
A. If you are selected to participate in the Beta Test Weekend, you'll see an Install button appear in the Overwatch tab of your Battle.net desktop app as well as an "Overwatch Beta" license in the YOUR GAME ACCOUNTS section of Battle.net Account Management. 

You will also receive an invite via email. Invites will always be sent to the email address associated with your Battle.net account. To help avoid phishing attempts, if you believe you've received an invite, it's best to refrain from clicking on any links in the email(s) you receive. Instead, as noted above, you can verify that your account has been granted a Closed Beta license in Battle.net Account Management.

Q. How are Beta Test Weekend participants selected?
A. Beta Test Weekend participants are chosen from our Overwatch beta opt-in pool based on a variety of factors, including (but not limited to) your Battle.net region, when you signed up, your computer hardware specifications, and an element of luck.

Q. How do I opt-in to the Beta Test Weekends?
A. There is no special opt-in process for Beta Test Weekends. If you opted-in for the beta, you're all set!

As a reminder: To opt into the beta, visit your Beta Profile Settings page in Account Management, check the "Overwatch" box under "Beta Tests I'm Interested In," and then click "Update Preferences." Alternatively, you can also sign up by clicking here.

Please note that opting in will not guarantee you access to a Beta Test Weekend.

Q. Will there be any other ways to get into a Beta Test Weekend besides opting-in?
A. Not at this time. Also, please note that Overwatch beta keys do not exist. Access to Beta Test Weekends will be provided solely through account flagging.

Q. What gameplay regions are eligible for the Beta Test Weekend?
A. For this Beta Test Weekend, we will be inviting players from the Americas, Europe, and Asia gameplay regions. For more information on which countries are associated with each of our gameplay regions, click here.

Q. What languages are supported in the Closed Beta?
A. The beta currently supports 12 languages: English, French, German, Castilian Spanish, Polish, Italian, Russian, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese.

Q. If I get invited to the Beta Test Weekend, can I stream or create content about the game?
A. Absolutely! There is no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for this Beta Test Weekend. You are encouraged to take screenshots, livestream your play sessions, record feedback videos—whatever your heart desires. The game is still a work in progress, though, so we appreciate your understanding when you encounter bugs, graphical errors, or other issues.

Q. Can I run tournaments with a prize pool during a Beta Test Weekend?
A. While the Beta Test Weekend is only two days long, you are welcome to run tournaments (with or without prize pools). However, given the size and scope of this phase of beta, we will not be issuing tournament licenses for large-scale events with prize pools over $10k. For smaller events, please review our Community Tournament Guidelinesbefore you begin planning to make sure your community tournament is in compliance.

If you would like to begin discussing your tournament plans for after game launch, or have any other questions, feel free to reach out to [email protected] any time.

Q. Will any progress I make during the Beta Test Weekend carry over to the live game?
A. No. We've no plans at this time for your activity during the Beta Test Weekend to carry over.

Q. What happens when the Beta Test Weekend ends? 
Following the end of this Beta Test Weekend on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 p.m. PDT, the beta will be brought offline for a short scheduled maintenance. During this maintenance, all Beta Test Weekend participants will have their beta access removed. At this point, these players will no longer be able to log in to the game or post in our beta forums.

Players with Closed Beta access will be otherwise unaffected and able to continue playing (and posting) as normal after maintenance concludes.

Q. When is the next Beta Test Weekend?
A. This is our final our Beta Test Weekend. The Overwatch Open Beta runs May 5-9, however, and will be available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One—click here to learn more!

Q. If was select for the last Beta Test Weekend, will that guarantee me access to this Beta Test Weekend?
A. No. Being selected to participate in our previous Beta Test Weekend will not guarantee you access to this Beta Test Weekend. On the flip side, it won't prevent you from being selected, either, or otherwise affect your eligibility in any way.

Q. If I'm selected for this Beta Test Weekend, will that prevent me from getting access to the Closed Beta?
A. No. Being selected to participate in this (or any previous) Beta Test Weekend will not prevent you from being selected to participate in the Closed Beta, or otherwise affect your eligibility in any way. It won't increase your chances of being selected, either.

Q. What are the system requirements for this Beta Test Weekend?
A. See below!

Minimum (targeting 30fps):

• Operating system: Windows® Vista/7/ 8/10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD Phenom™ X3 865
• Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460, ATI Radeon™ HD 4850, or Intel® HD Graphics 4400
• Memory: 768 MB VRAM, 4 GB System RAM
• Storage: 7200 RPM with 5 GB available HD space

Recommended (targeting 60fps on Medium settings):

• Operating system: Windows® Vista/7/ 8/10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 or AMD Phenom™ II X3, 2.8 GHz
• Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660 or ATI Radeon™ HD 7950
• Memory: 2 GB VRAM, 6 GB System RAM
• Storage: 7200 RPM with 5 GB available HD space

For the best performance, please be sure to update to the latest drivers available for your graphics card.

Due to potential changes, the system requirements for this game may change over time.

Q. When will the Closed Beta end??
A. The Closed Beta will end before May 3, 2016. The exact date is still to be determined, though we'll provide Closed Beta participants with advanced notice.

Q. What is the business model for Overwatch?
A. Overwatch is currently available for pre-purchase on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. For more information, visit  www.buyoverwatch.com. 

Q. When will the game be released?
A. Overwatch launches May 24, 2016!