The next Overwatch event, the Lunar New Year celebration to usher in the Year of the Dog, is just around the corner, and game director Jeff Kaplan teased a few details on what gamers can expect from it.
The Year of the Dog event follows the Overwatch cosmetic update released last month and is a revamped version of the Year of the Rooster event last year, which introduced the Capture the Flag mode.
Overwatch Year Of The Dog: New Map And Capture The Flag Changes
In the latest Overwatch Developer Update, game director Jeff Kaplan talked about the Year of the Dog event, which will launch on Feb. 8.
The first thing that players can expect from the Lunar New Year event is the addition of a new map that is set in Thailand. The map is "absolutely gorgeous" according to Kaplan, with one side featuring an ancient look and the other with a more modern design.
The Thailand map, Kaplan noted, is the first map that the Overwatch development team created specifically for Capture the Flag. The popular mode is also seeing some changes this time around to make the experience better for players.
There will be no more draws in Capture the Flag, as a Sudden Death mechanic will be added. If the game will supposedly end in a draw as time runs out, Sudden Death will kick in with the flags of both teams placed closer to the map's center. The game resumes, with the distance that the flags need to travel shortened.
Picking up the flag in the mode has also changed. Instead of having to wait a few seconds, the pickup is now instant. However, certain abilities that provide mobility or invulnerability, such as Winston's Leap, will now cause the flag to drop.
The Capture the Flag mode will also be getting a four-week competitive season. This is similar to Lucioball in the Summer Games event last year, which also introduced the popular Cote D'Azur legendary skin of Widowmaker.
Overwatch Year Of The Dog: 6 Legendary Skins
Speaking of skins, lastly, and for some players most importantly, Kaplan revealed that there will be six legendary skins that will roll out with the Year of the Dog event, including one each for Mercy and Genji.
It is unknown who the other heroes with legendary skins are, but the opening shot of the Developer Update video revealed that Widowmaker will also get a skin, though it is unclear if it is a legendary one.
