Overwatch is releasing more information about the deaths of heroes – this will benefit the game overview.
Currently, the next patch is being tested on the Overwatch PTR. This is packed with changes to game balance, particularly affecting Roadhog’s hook, Sombra’s hacking abilities, and D.Va’s strength.
At the same time, Blizzard has also sneaked in some subtler changes into the update, aimed at giving players more information on the battlefield. The kill feed has been completely overhauled.
The kill feed is located by default in the upper right corner of the screen (it can be disabled in the options) and indicates which character was killed by whom. Previously, the kill feed was only provided with minimal information, so one would only know “Tracer killed Soldier: 76” – how exactly that happened is currently a puzzle.
With patch 1.7, the kill feed has become significantly more informative and now includes the following information:
- A normal kill is indicated by a white arrow (regular weapon damage).
- A critical kill is indicated by a red arrow (usually a headshot).
- A kill by an ability is indicated by the ability’s icon (any damage-dealing ability in the game).
- A kill by ultimates is additionally indicated by flickering lightning around the icon (High Noon, Configuration: Tank, etc.).
A video from the colleagues at PCGamesN shows this in all its glory:
For many players, this change may not carry much weight, while others will now receive the information they have long desired. For instance, it is much easier to recognize whether the opposing Widowmaker is landing mostly headshots and is therefore particularly dangerous, or whether McCree has already used his “High Noon”, should one have missed the audio cue in the heat of battle.
Meanwhile, a fan has also found the solution for Sombra’s DPS problem.
