Overwatch 2 April Fool’s event: Dates, Balanced mode, free rewards, more

The in-game April Fool’s event for Overwatch 2 has officially launched, offering players the opportunity to unlock various free rewards.

The latest season of Overwatch 2, Season 9, has been filled with exciting events such as Cosmic Crisis and the Cowboy Bebop crossover. In addition, the developers are now embracing the lighthearted aspect of the game by introducing a special event in honor of April Fool’s Day. This event offers players the chance to unlock free rewards and participate in an exclusive game mode.

Overwatch 2 Spring Fling event dates

The Overwatch 2 April Fool’s event began on April 1 and will continue until Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Although it is a shorter event compared to recent ones, there is still ample time to experience all the content and unlock every free cosmetic.

Explaining Overwatch 2’s Balanced Mode

During the Overwatch 2 April Fool’s event, players can experience the new ‘Balanced Overwatch’ game mode, where every Hero is given a significant buff that would not be seen in typical matches. Numerous characters have been revamped for the Arcade mode, with some receiving a substantial boost in movement speed and others being completely reworked.

In the Balanced game setting, Bastion’s default configuration is his Assault Configuration, which provides more ammo but less damage. Additionally, Ramattra’s Nemesis Form has been shifted from his Ultimate Ability to the Ability 1 slot, granting players the ability to use it more frequently.

The severe punishment for changing Heroes during a match has been greatly lessened, allowing players to freely switch between characters and enjoy the comical transformations. And if that wasn’t already enough, Heroes now have googly eyes instead of regular ones, adding even more absurdity to the game.

To access a comprehensive list of all the buffs and adjustments in Overwatch 2 Balanced mode, refer to the official patch notes.

Unlocking Overwatch 2 April Fool’s rewards

In the Overwatch 2 April Fool’s event, players have the opportunity to obtain 15 Sprays for free. However, the majority of these Sprays can only be obtained by playing in Balanced mode. Details on all the available rewards and how to acquire them can be found below.

Challenge	Objective	Reward
April’s Fool	Complete 14 Balanced Overwatch games	Dev Doodle Lifeweaver and 10,000 Battle Pass XP
Giddy Gratitude	Emote “thanks” to anyone	Dev Doodle Mei and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Prank Queue	Complete 5 games of Balanced Overwatch. Wins grant double progress	Dev Doodle Junkerqueen and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Not Fooling Around	Complete 10 games of Balanced Overwatch. Wins grant double progress	Dev Doodle Symmetra and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Ultimate Fool: Damage	Use your ultimate 3 times playing as a Damage hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Traver and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Perfectly Balanced Damage	Complete 2 games as any Damage hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Genji and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Sic ‘Em Boys	Deal 10,000 in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Hanzo and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Ultimate Trickster	Use ultimate 10 times	Dev Doodle Sojourn and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Ultimate Fool: Tank	Use your ultimate 3 times playing as a Tank hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Ramattra and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Perfectly Balanced Tank	Complete 2 games of any Tank hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Sigma and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Do I Have To?	Heal 5,000 damage in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Mercy and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Ultimate Fool: Support	Use your ultimate 3 times as a Support hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Kiriko and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Perfectly Balanced Support	Complete 2 games as any Support hero in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Zenyatta and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Clicking Heads	Earn 15 eliminations/assists in Balanced Overwatch	Dev Doodle Illari and 2,500 Battle Pass XP
Everyone’s a DPS!	Deal or boost 5,000 damage with weapons	Dev Doodle Moira and 2,500 Battle Pass XP