Overwatch Reveals Busan Map & D.Va Animated Short, Launches PTR

Published: August 22, 2018 10:24 AM /

By:


overwatch d.va busan 01 - flashback

It's gamescom and Blizzard brought the big guns as expected - we have a new animated short starring D.Va, a brand new Control Map called Busan, and a PTR patch for players to check out the new map and some hero changes!

D.Va's Animated Short

D.Va's animated short shows her having a bit of downtime between missions at her home base - take a look at it for yourself to experience the thrilling action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7j2d6YCQbg

The animated short opens with D.Va and a good friend relaxing and working on her MEKA. We learn a few nice lore tidbits right from the get-go. The MEKA Squad is comprised of five different people, each with their own unique MEKA design (and all of which you can see in the MEKA Base portion of the new map). The most recent battle with the giant Omnic that repeatedly attacks Korea saw four out of the five MEKA pilots get banged up pretty badly with the sole exception of D.Va.

In the middle of working on her MEKA, the radar picks up an incoming signal. D.Va immediately launches by herself to combat five incoming Omnic fighters equipped with missiles and robotic tentacles. She shoots down four of the five, but she suffers a lot of damage and ends up tangled in the grapple of the final Omnic fighter. It is here that we see the birth of her Self Destruct Ultimate, although her friend states that it will take 60 seconds for it to explode. Fearing for the thousands of people living in Busan, D.Va ejects early and shoots her MEKA's fusion core with her Bunny Blaster.

[gallery link="file" size="full" ids="250389,250390,250391"]

D.Va is shown a little while later recovering from falling into the water at a considerable height. The Animated Short concludes there, but the very end has a surprise: a brand-new D.Va skin was shown on the end cards.

New Control Map: Busan

A brand new map was also revealed this morning: Busan. This is D.Va's home map and it's a Control Map like Ilios or Oasis. It's split into three distinct sections, each showing off a different part of the city. Check out the Coming Soon trailer for the map to see what it looks like in motion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieSpPxaNyJQ

The map's three sections are Busan: Downtown, Busan: Sanctuary, and Busan: MEKA Base. Busan: Downtown is (unsurprisingly) a downtown section of Busan, South Korea. Both teams spawn in the back streets either at a karaoke bar or a PC Bang. It feels a bit aesthetically similar to the "town" portion of Hanamura, though it also has its own unique touches here and there. The control point for this section is centered around a maglev train which is itself quite the hazard for players who aren't careful.

Busan: Sanctuary is set in a beautiful temple. It's a very relaxing atmosphere with a decent run to the point. The control point is centered around a large drum in a pagoda and is very open with minimal cover; players will have to use the pagoda's pillars or the drum to protect themselves from attacks on the high ground which can come from any side.

Finally, Busan: MEKA Base is a giant building placed in the water a decent distance from the city itself (and viewable from the Downtown portion of the map). This is where D.Va and the rest of the MEKA Squad live, train, and maintain their machines. You can see the other four MEKA in person (although behind force fields) and D.Va's bedroom. The control point appears to be a linear catapult for the MEKA's to launch. Blast shields are raised and lowered on a periodic basis, creating dynamic cover that isn't seen on very many maps in Overwatch just yet.

[gallery link="file" size="full" ids="250379,250380,250381,250382,250383,250384,250385,250386,250387"]

PTR Patch for August 22, 2018

Finally, the last bit of Overwatch news sent out this morning is some changes that have made their way to the PTR.

The big-ticket item is a playable version of the Busan Control Point map. Players can head on over to the Arcade and check it out or create a Custom Game as always. A Hero Gallery filter will let players look at cosmetics by categories like seasonal events. Additionally, a brand-new Arcade Mode called Mystery Deathmatch was added. This mode essentially combines Mystery Heroes and FFA Deathmatch into one experience. Blizzard World is also now playable as a map in Deathmatch game modes.

A few changes have been applied to a handful of heroes in Overwatch. Ana & Widowmaker have some precision tweaks made to their Relative Aim Sensitivity While Zoomed function. Reinhardt's Earthshatter overhaul has been deployed, although it remains to be seen if it will actually live up to expectations. Finally, Brigitte's Shield Bash has had a slight change. When Brigitte Shield Bashes a Rocket-Punching Doomfist or Charging Reinhardt, the both of them will be knocked down just as if two Charges or Rocket Punches had collided.

That's it for all of the Overwatch news that dropped this morning! Make sure to check out the patch notes and the above videos for all of the fine details. If you're curious about giving Overwatch a spin, a free weekend will be taking place from August 23-27, 2018.

What do you think of D.Va's animated short? Do you like the new Busan map? How do you feel about the handful of changes made to the Overwatch PTR? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Overwatch
Game Page Overwatch
Platforms
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date
May 24, 2016 (Calendar)
Purchase (Some links may be affiliated)