The next update will require a full Overwatch reinstall for those who play the game. This is apparently due to changes big enough that patching the game as it already is proved inefficient. Blizzard decided to get ahead of the potential fan backlash by announcing the news on its forums. The post explains that while they don’t have a date set for the incoming update, it will require a full install.
According to Blizzard, this patch has fundamental changes to the game client as well as many back-end improvements. The company decided that in the end it was simply easier to force a full Overwatch reinstall rather than try to fix the existing installation. The fresh install is said to bring improvements to memory usage, load times, bug fixes, and to make future changes easier. Unfortunately, none of this sounds particularly exciting but it still has some fans wondering what this new update could be hiding to make it so substantial.
This new update will see the same reinstallation process across all platforms. This means these likely aren’t isolated issues and instead are making changes to how the game works itself. Despite being a relatively small file size for a modern video game, a full reinstall may be a tough ask for some. For many players having to reinstall a 15GB game is no small task depending on their internet connection or allowances.For that reason, it’s likely Blizzard didn’t make this decision lightly and it’s good at least that they’re committed to giving people as much warning as possible before the update.
Something that will almost certainly make it into the new huge update is the new character’s Ashe and B.O.B who are now playable on the PTR. It may, however, still be a while before we hear anything about the other teased hero Echo, who fans are theorising may actually be Athena, the computer.
