Overwatch 2 Season 20 patch preview and how to pre-download the update

Overwatch 2 Season 20, also known as Season 20: Vendetta, begins on Dec. 9, but players can pre-download it ahead of time. Read on for a look at what to expect in the Overwatch 2 Season 20 patch plus our quick guide on how to pre-download the update.

In terms of the Overwatch 2 Season 20 patch notes, you can expect the arrival of Hero 45, who is now known as Vendetta. She arrives as a damage hero and has a bunch of interesting interactions with existing heroes. You can also look forward to a bunch of new cosmetics such as Cassidy's Divine Desperado mythic and Orisa's adorable Capsule Cannon Orisa weapon skin.

In terms of the Overwatch 2 Season 20 Battle Pass, cosmetics include three epic skins, emotes, weapon charms, and more. Battle Pass skins include ones like Yukizaru Genji, Celestial Venture, the Soldier: 76's Colder: 76 one, Frost Lich Reaper, Skadi Freja, Cold Front Tracer, Ice Crystal Symmetra, and Winter Guardian Illari. The Ultimate Battle Pass, meanwhile, features the High Society Vendetta and Reindeer Tracer skins.

Other skins to note include the Cozy, Borealis, and Heist collections plus ones from the returning Overwatch 2 x Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover. This means Katara Mei, Aang Zenyatta, Appa Orisa, Toph Venture, Zuko Genji, and Suki Kiriko.

Don't forget about the new Mischief & Magic: Wonderland game mode, either. It's basically Overwatch 2's prop hunt game mode with a twist! According to Blizzard Entertainment, this event lets players unlock Frozen Demon Junkrat and Frozen Mountaineer Cassidy as well.

Another upcoming event is Winter Wonderland, which lets players earn Winter Cookies that can then be exchanged for rewards. Jingle Tracer, Krampus Junkrat, and Santa Claus Torbjorn are the three reward tracks available.

As for Overwatch 2's Stadium game mode in Season 20, Doomfist and Wuyang join the roster as tank and support heroes, respectively. No damage hero joins this season, however, Cassidy does get a full rework. Wuyang's Water College also joins Stadium's map rotation.

"A new Top 500 tier arrives to give you a goal worthy of your grind and the rank system will reset for a fresh powdery climb," Blizzard Entertainment added. "As you ascend, the League 6 Reaper Chase Skin awaits, and a China Control map will allow all the new chaos to take shape."

As for fans of Competitive Play, Season 20 brings about a new system. Players can increase their Challenger Score while racing to be in the Top 500. Additionally, the banning of cheaters results in restored rank progress.

Other Overwatch 2 updates to note for Season 20 in general include aim assist improvements for console players.

To pre-download Overwatch 2 Season 20, launch Battle.net, log in to your account and click on the game's logo followed by the gear icon next to the "Play" button. Then, click on the "Check for Updates" text. After pre-loading everything, the text should then state "Pre-release content downloaded."

You can also go for automatic Overwatch 2 updates moving forward. To do this, click on the gear icon again and select the "Game Settings" option. From there, click on "Downloads," go to the "Automatic Updates" section, and select "Apply latest updates and download pre-release content for recently played games." Finally, press the "Done" button.

That's all for now. Are you ready for Season 20? Stick around on esports.gg for the latest Overwatch 2 news and updates!