Making for a nice hype train with Season 17 of Overwatch, Blizzard has sent the players into a frenzy. The official trailer, “Powered Up,” will be dropping on June 17, so if the teaser is any gauge, this season obviously would have to go berserk. The official Overwatch tweet practically screams, “You think you know true power? Think again! [Thunderbolt emoji][Fire emoji] |- Subtlety is out of fashion nowadays.”
What really is Season 17 then? Blizzard is remaining tight-lipped about everything, but the player base has already begun to churn out theories. Many players voice their strong conviction that this is finally going to be the season where D.Va gets that mythic skin-a number of leaks suggested that the design would be inspired by Korean mythology. Other guys are simply begging Kiriko for anything other than a recolor. The maddening players are shouting for Wrecking Ball skins, Ramattra love, even a fix to Kiriko’s Donut Delivery-come-on-now-you-know-who-you-are.
Replies to the tweet went from utter mess to being enveloped with excitement-the despair and meme energy united. One player, hibi, exclaimed with all seriousness, “DVA COME HOME I MISS YOU DVA PLEASE,” whereas retrowen demanded a Wrecking Ball skin “that isn’t a recolour for the first time since Season 3.” Trust ironically celebrated the “164215th mercy, kiriko, juno, dva, rein skin” because let’s be realistic—some heroes do get the love.
The requests for skins run alongside the cries for some meta buffs. Westbrook called out Blizzard, stating, “That’s cool. But can you guys change the meta; it’s been the same shit for like 5 months now.” And, you know? It is kind of fair. The meta has overstayed its welcome; if Season 17 doesn’t stir the pot, I’m convinced that the community will.
And the drama does not relent. slurpedvagina, on the other hand, went full villain monologue: “you are nothing. you are the dirt that scrapes against the bottom of my shoe when i walk.” A little mean? Hell yes. Fucking hilarious? Definitely. Overwatch Twitter always delivers, after all.
Of course, an Overwatch season announcement will always accompany comments such as, “WHERE’S [INSERT UNDERLOVED HERO] SKIN??” Haydrik begged for Lúcio and Junkrat to get fed while shapeofterror_ threatened, “if there is no ramattra skin blizzard count your days.” Seriousness, people.
So what can be reasonably expected out of Season 17? As previous seasons have taught us, expect another new battle pass, loads of cosmetics, and maybe-just maybe-some balance changes that will please less than half of the playerbase who will want to chuck their keyboards across the room. A lot of things will clarify come June 17 with the trailer, but until then, speculation will just keep on growing louder.
One thing for sure: Overwatch players are never satisfied; Blizzard knows this. From mythic skins to meta shifts and just fixing a couple of really weird bugs, the community will always have a handful of demands (or complaints). That kind of makes it fun, though.
Have June 17 circled on your calendars, because this season will be coming in hard and, at the rate people are already reacting, it’s going to be one hell of a roller coaster.
