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What's New in Overwatch Season 4: Battle Pass Revamp, New Rank, Map Reworks, and More
Overwatch is set to welcome a new season in just a couple of days. With a brand‑new Tank hero, reworks for core maps, and much more on the way, players have plenty to look forward to with Season 4's release on August 11.
So far, Blizzard has given us a glimpse of the new hero, D.Mon, along with a run‑through of the map reworks. Earlier today, we were also treated to the Season 4 trailer, which revealed even more details, including the addition of a new rank, a revamped Battle Pass, and more.
We'll explore all of that further below. Let's dive right in.
Meet the New Tank Hero - D.Mon: MEKA Squad’s Stalwart Leader
The newest addition to Overwatch's hero roster is the MEKA Squad leader, D.Mon. Initially introduced to players in 2018 through her teammate D.Va's lore, the South Korean pilot now joins the game as a Tank hero.
Though she shares some similarities with D.Va, D.Mon's playstyle is distinctly her own. While the former is a dive Tank, D.Mon leans more toward a brawl Tank playstyle, similar to Reinhardt.
For a deeper look at D.Mon's abilities and playstyle, check out our dedicated article.
Battle Pass Revamp
One of the core highlights of Season 4 is the Battle Pass revamp. Overwatch is moving away from its linear Battle Pass system in favor of a more player‑friendly structure that opens up new avenues for personalization.
Players will begin their Battle Pass progression with an introductory track, after which they can choose from five tracks, each similar to one page of the current BP format. Like the current Battle Pass, each track will culminate in an Epic or Legendary skin.
Blizzard has emphasized that the new progression system won't be more difficult than in previous seasons, nor will it reduce the number of rewards. The changes are designed simply to give players more control over which rewards they unlock and the order in which they unlock them.
Battle Pass Tier Hack
Season 4 will also introduce a unique new mechanic to the Battle Pass. Upon purchasing the Premium Battle Pass, players will receive 1 Tier Hack, which can be used to replace any skin at the end of a track with one from a curated pool of Legendary skins.
The Tier Hack pool for Season 4 includes 12 Legendary skins, and this selection will refresh each season, giving players a better shot at obtaining an elusive Overwatch Shop or Loot Box skin they may have been chasing. Additionally, the Tier Hack pool will always feature options across all three hero roles.
New Competitive Rank: Emerald
Overwatch will introduce a new competitive rank in Season 4. Called Emerald, the new rank will sit between Platinum and Diamond. As usual, the new season will also come with a rank reset.
Platinum currently holds the highest concentration of players in Overwatch's competitive ladder. The addition of a new skill group aims to create a more even distribution across ranks. This will result in a rank correction, meaning many players who have struggled to climb out of Platinum will now find themselves placed in the new Emerald rank.
3 Core Maps Get Reworks
Every new season of Overwatch takes its story in a new direction. Season 4 will focus on the MEKA Squad and explore Talon and the Junkers' attack on Busan. As a result, the Control map will receive a few notable changes. Hybrid maps Eichenwalde and Paraíso will also undergo reworks that adjust their layouts without altering the overall feel of playing on them.
For an in‑depth look at the map reworks, check out our dedicated article.
Genji and Sojourn Receive Mythic Skins in Season 4
With the Season 4 patch, the game will introduce a Mythic hero skin for Genji and a Mythic weapon skin for Sojourn.
Genji's Koi of Duality Mythic skin comes with unique VFX and sound effects, customization options, color variants, and a vibrant ultimate animation. This marks the hero's second Mythic skin, following the Cyber Demon skin that debuted with Overwatch 2's launch in 2022.
Sojourn will also receive her first Mythic weapon in Season 4. The Eternal Crystal weapon skin transforms her railgun with a crystalline appearance and adds a knife to her character model. Upon earning an elimination, a crystal‑breaking effect is triggered that matches the skin’s theme.
MEKA Squad Event
To celebrate D.Mon's addition to the Overwatch hero roster, Season 4 will kick off with a new event centered around the MEKA Squad. Titled "Shooting Star: My MEKA Mania," the event will let players support their favorite MEKA pilot from a roster that features Casino, King, D.Va, D.Mon, and Overlord. By completing challenges, you can earn rewards and unlock unique pieces of these characters' lore.
LE SSERAFIM Returns to Overwatch With a New Collab
The Season 4 trailer teased the return of Overwatch's iconic collaboration with South Korean girl group LE SSERAFIM. This will mark the third iteration of the collaboration. The first wave of skins arrived in 2023, featuring Shop skins for Brigitte, D.Va, Kiriko, Sombra, and Tracer. The second wave saw Ashe, D.Va, Illari, Juno, and Mercy receive skins.
On both occasions, players could also unlock the Fawksey James Junkrat skin through challenges. A "Blue Flame" recolor of all Wave 1 skins was also released during Wave 2.
While Blizzard has yet to confirm which heroes will be part of the third LE SSERAFIM collection, sources online suggest Anran, D.Mon, Sierra, and Shion will be the recipients, alongside recolored versions of the Wave 2 skins.
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Featured Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment
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