Blizzard has revealed major changes to the Flashpoint game mode in Overwatch 2, which will be implemented in Season 17's mid-season patch. Some maps are also being reworked in Overwatch 2 to account for the changes that will be made with the new patch.
Flashpoint is a game mode introduced during Overwatch 2 Season 6 where players fight over and capture three points across the map, similarly to Call of Duty's Hardpoint mode. Currently, the Flashpoint game mode has three maps: New Junk City, Suravasa, and Season 17's new Aatlis map. New Junk City and Suravasa were both introduced back in August 2023 when Flashpoint was first made available, so it's been almost two years since the maps have been in the rotation. Potential reworks and adjustments for Flashpoint have become a topic of discussion in the community as 2025 progresses onward, and Blizzard has revealed the changes that will be made soon.
Related Overwatch 2 Season 17 Features 2 Big Map Reworks
Blizzard shares more about Overwatch 2 Season 17 in a new developer livestream, and reveals a couple of major upcoming map tweaks.
PostsBlizzard revealed its plans for Overwatch 2's Flashpoint mode in a new blog post, confirming that New Junk City and Suravasa will receive substantial reworks in the Season 17 mid-cycle patch. The Overwatch 2 developers want to make Flashpoint more fun, navigable, and competitive, and they've gathered feedback over time while making the Aatlis map. Entrances, layouts, and surrounding cover on both maps will be reworked, and building heights will also be reduced to keep the focus on various points of interest on the maps, along with spawn rooms. The themes of each map will also be improved to make them feel more distinct and recognizable, and objective points will be less contained. There will be more pieces of cover, new flank routes, and updated connecting paths to give Overwatch 2 players more options while pushing for the objective.
Overwatch 2 Season 17 Mid-Season Update Will Improve Flashpoint and its Map Layouts With Major Reworks
CloseBlizzard also detailed more map-specific changes for Overwatch 2's New Junk City and Suravasa maps. New Junk City will be reworked across all control points to make gameplay more free-flowing while keeping the chaotic gunfights that players expect. According to Blizzard, forward spawn runbacks will be slightly reduced with new upper paths and overhangs to reduce time getting back into the action after respawning. The Hammer Mill entrance is being scaled up on the map's Thunderdome POI, and the Bomb Flats area will get a substantial redesign. New Junk City's Junkyard, Refinery, and Ducts areas will also get redesigns of their own to promote easier entry and flow between sections.
Suravasa will receive improvements to its overall readability, meaning that Overwatch 2 players should be less confused and distracted while navigating the map. For example, Blizzard will lower large blockers in the streets to open sightlines and add taller art elements and lighting to highlight where players may want to go on the map. Structures near the outside spawns will be simplified, and the map will be streamlined with the removal of unused side paths and clutter. Like the New Junk City map, Suravasa's entrances and routes will be adjusted to promote free-flowing movement and access to different areas, including all-new side paths.
Lastly, Blizzard is making adjustments to game logic that change the selection of which point will be active next in Flashpoint. After the middle point is captured, the next control point will be closer to the losing team's spawn, giving the losing team a fair advantage while removing diagonal movements across the map. More details about these changes and the mid-season update for Overwatch 2 Season 17 will be revealed at a later date.
