Blizzard has updated the communication wheel in Overwatch to make it a more valuable tool as an alternative to voice chat.
The improved communication wheel is part of the new Overwatch PTR patch, allowing PC players to try out the feature before it arrives to consoles. The update was also featured in a developer update by game director Jeff Kaplan.
The communication wheel may be customized through the Options menu, under the Controls section. Players will be able to choose from 26 different messages for each sector of the communication wheel, with all 32 Overwatch heroes receiving new voice lines.
Previously, players had very limited options, so voice chat was essentially required for effective communication between teammates. However, with the update, the communication wheel will include voice lines for “Sorry,” “Fall back,” “Press the objective,” “On my way,” and a “3-2-1” countdown, all of which will prove to be useful in certain situations during matches.
The “Sorry” voice command has been a popular request for a while, as Overwatch players want a way to apologize to teammates if they mess up, or to let everyone know that they did not intentionally cause the team to lose a round.
The new PTR patch also included updates to the Custom Games and Workshop modes of Overwatch. The changes to Custom Games will make it easier for content creators to update existing modes, even after the codes have already been shared, while several new features, actions, and values have been added to Workshop.
Competitive mode, Overwatch League hero pools united
Overwatch‘s competitive mode and the Overwatch League started sharing hero pools earlier this month, eliminating the confusion as the characters that were selectable between the two were previously different. Map pools, meanwhile, were removed, making all maps available competitively expects for Paris and Horizon Lunar Colony, which will receive changes before being brought back.
The changes follow the addition of Echo, the 32nd hero of Overwatch with a skill-stealing ultimate ability. The flying robot is expected to be the last hero that will be released for the game, as Blizzard shifts its focus towards the development of Overwatch 2.
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