Overwatch 2 Season 20 Patch Notes: New Hero Vendetta, Aim Assist Changes & Winter Event

Overwatch 2 Season 20 drops today with one of the biggest updates we’ve seen this year. Between a brand-new DPS hero, major aim assist changes for console players, and the return of Winter Wonderland, there’s plenty to get excited about.

If you’ve been keeping up with OW2 in 2025, you know Blizzard has been delivering—new characters, Stadium mode, crossover events, and more. Now they’re closing out the year with another massive seasonal update that’s worth diving into.

When Does Overwatch 2 Season 20 Start?

Season 20 launch details:

• Release date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
• Go-live time: 11 AM PT / 2 PM EST / 7 PM GMT
• Pro tip: You can preload the update right now so you’re ready to jump in the moment servers go live

Meet Vendetta: The New DPS Hero

The star of Overwatch 2 Season 20 is undoubtedly Vendetta, a sword-wielding DPS hero who’s already won over fans during her limited trial run. She’s highly mobile with a steep learning curve, but mastering her kit makes her absolutely lethal on the battlefield.

Vendetta’s Abilities Breakdown

Primary Weapon:

• Palatine Fang – A hard-light greatsword with combo swings that end in a devastating overhead slash

Defensive Ability:

• Warding Stance – Block incoming frontal damage with your sword and deflect melee attacks. Blocking drains energy over time

Mobility & Attack Abilities:

• Soaring Slice – Throw your sword in any direction and fly directly to it (great for repositioning or aggressive plays)
• Whirlwind Dash – Rush forward while executing a spinning slash attack
• Projected Edge – Only available during Warding Stance. Consume energy to fire a wide projectile at enemies

Passive:

• Onslaught – Each successful strike increases both your movement speed and attack speed, rewarding aggressive playstyles

Ultimate:

• Sundering Blade – A devastating cleave that cuts through most defenses, dealing massive damage to all enemies in front of you

Vendetta rewards skillful, aggressive play. Her mobility tools let you dive backlines or escape quickly, while her passive encourages you to stay in the fight. If you can chain her abilities smoothly, she’ll be a nightmare for enemy supports and squishy DPS.

Console Players Rejoice: Aim Assist Is Getting Buffed

One of the most significant changes in Overwatch 2 Season 20 is the aim assist buff for console players. According to Blizzard’s recent blog post, controller users will see aim assist increase by 6% to 8% depending on target distance.

What This Means for Console Players

• Support heroes get the biggest boost from these adjustments
• All hero classes will see some level of improvement
• Overwatch historically uses lower aim assist percentages compared to other shooters, so this mainly helps newer players without making it overpowered

If you’ve been struggling with tracking on console, this update should make landing shots feel noticeably smoother—especially on those slippery support heroes zipping around the backline.

Winter Wonderland Event Returns

The annual Winter Wonderland event is back for the holidays, running from December 9, 2025, to January 7, 2026. This year brings a festive twist to the popular Prop Hunt mode with a winter-themed version.

New Three-Path Reward System

This year’s event introduces a fresh reward structure where you choose which prizes to unlock. Each of the three tracks ends with an exclusive festive skin:

• Jingle Tracer – Festive speedster skin
• Krampus Junkrat – Dark holiday demon vibes
• Santa Claus Torbjorn – The engineer as jolly old Saint Nick

Instead of grinding for everything, you can focus on the skins you actually want. Smart move by Blizzard to give players more agency over their rewards.

New Mythic Skins and Weapons

Every Overwatch 2 season brings premium cosmetics, and Season 20 is no exception.

Divine Desperado Cassidy (Mythic Skin)

Cassidy gets the Mythic treatment with Divine Desperado, a striking red outfit featuring a radiant, sun-like glow. The skin screams “high noon” energy with a divine twist and can be unlocked through the Mythic Shop right now.

Orisa’s Capsule Cannon (Mythic Weapon)

Orisa mains will have to wait a bit longer—her new Mythic weapon, Capsule Cannon, won’t be available until the mid-season update. No word yet on the exact date, but it should arrive sometime in late December or early January.

What Else to Expect

While these are the confirmed highlights, Blizzard typically includes additional hero balance changes, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements in full seasonal patches. We’ll update this guide with complete patch notes once they’re officially released.

Tips for Season 20 Success

• Try Vendetta in Quick Play first – She has a high skill ceiling, so practice her mobility combos before jumping into Competitive
• Console players should adjust sensitivity – With the aim assist buff, you might find your old settings feel different
• Plan your Winter Wonderland track – Decide which festive skin you want most and focus on that reward path
• Check out optimal Perks for every hero – The right Perk loadout can make or break your ranked climb

The Bottom Line

Overwatch 2 Season 20 is packed with content that should keep players engaged through the holidays. Whether you’re mastering Vendetta’s sword combos, enjoying smoother aim on console, or grinding for that Krampus Junkrat skin, there’s something for everyone.

The update goes live today, so preload now and get ready to dive in when servers open at 11 AM PT.

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