*Overwatch 2* May 2025 Update Brings Stadium Mode Hotfix and Hero Balance Changes
Blizzard has rolled out a new *Overwatch 2* update on May 1, 2025, focusing on balance changes for the newly introduced *Stadium* mode. Ten heroes, including Kiriko, D.Va, and Soldier: 76, received tweaks aimed at improving gameplay fairness and pacing in the best-of-seven team-based mode.
Stadium mode, introduced in Season 16, allows players to earn “Stadium Cash” to upgrade their heroes mid-match. The new patch adjusts how much cash players earn from healing and damage, especially for heroes like Kiriko (reduced by 16.67%) and Soldier: 76 (reduced by 12.5%), to prevent rapid power scaling.
D.Va’s survivability while out of her mech was toned down by nerfing her Nano Cola™ Nitrous item, while Soldier: 76’s Rocket Visor duration was shortened. Mei’s knockback ability, Coulder, was adjusted to reduce disruption, and Lúcio received buffs to underused builds, along with a 10% cash gain increase.
Juno, a popular pick in Stadium, received both buffs and nerfs. Her Pulsar Torpedo build was dialed back with reduced cooldown efficiency and power scaling, but her overall cash gain was increased by 33.33% to support other builds.
The update also addresses powers with unintended effects and promises future buffs to underperforming abilities. Blizzard acknowledged ongoing issues like high quit rates and performance problems on older systems, assuring players more updates are on the way.
Want a quick-reference graphic for hero changes in this patch?
