‘Overwatch’ PTR Update Adds Server Browser, Capture The Flag Matches, And Nerfs

Overwatch, one of the most popular competitive team-oriented shooters on the market, added custom game options via Server Browser as well as Capture the Flag matches to the Public Test Realm (PTR).

The custom match option allows players to tweak the various settings for the map, adjusting everything from what champions are allowed and what abilities they can use to the time it takes to capture a flag or point. It even allows changes to the cooldown lengths for various champion abilities. Similar to other popular FPS titles, players will be able to search for open games via a Server Browser. This technique is used in games like Counterstrike: Global Offensive and Insurgency.

One of the best aspects of the new custom games is the ability to gain experience and loot crates, so it will still be profitable to play matches outside the regular supported modes. Right now, these custom match options are only available on the PTR, so whether all or some of the changes/mode will be available to the public is yet to be determined.

According to the Overwatch update video, “It’s a really cool feature where people can run custom versions of the game, and then other people can find that game in a public list and then join it. So we are adding a server browser that lists all the custom games that are running in your region… and there are all sorts of sorting and filtering options to help you find exactly what kind of game you’re looking for. So if you know ahead of time that you want to find a certain mode only, or if you really want to find a certain map, because that’s what you want to play on right now, you can search the server browser for that particular map and get right to it.”

On the plus side, one thing currently on the Overwatch PTR is the new Capture the Flag mode. It originally made its debut during the Chinese New Year celebration festivities as Capture the Rooster. Due to its immense popularity, Blizzard has officially declared its support for the mode as an ongoing option. 12 maps are presently supported for the game mode, with various adjustments made to improve the quality of Capture the Flag. Most of the maps selected were originally part of the Conquest game mode.

In other news, nerfs and buffs have struck several of the champions right where it hurts/helps, with Bastion taking the brunt of the changes. Bastion has been significantly reworked, receiving noticeable nerfs to his Sentry mode while getting buffs to Recon. The Sentry changes will dramatically affect his effectiveness, as the bullet spread has not only been increased by 50 percent, but also the gun starts at maximum spread, as opposed to spinning up over time. This will negate the effectiveness of burst shots. Additionally, the mode no longer triggers critical nor headshots. On the other hand, the time to switch to Sentry is down to one second (from 1.5), and the magazine in sentry mode has 300 rounds compared to the original 200. It makes taking down fast, small targets much harder, but large tanks and shields will be a lot easier to shred with those extra rounds.

Overwatch is also buffing Recon mode significantly. The gun magazine now holds 25 rounds instead of 20, and the spread has been decreased by 25 percent, allowing Bastion some mobile utility. The Self-Repair option has also been buffed. No longer is it interrupted by damage, and now Bastion can move while using the ability. Bastion also has a new passive called Ironclad. He takes 35 percent less damage when in Sentry or Tank modes.

Some of the other champions have also received adjustments during this Overwatch PTR update. D. Va’s Defense Matrix is slightly more effective at stopping projectiles, as no longer do they need to travel a certain distance before being shot. Mercy also was buffed, now being invincible during her Resurrection ability.

Tell us what you think of the changes to the Overwatch PTR in the comments section below!

[Featured Image by Overwatch/Blizzard Entertainment]