What happens is, the game audio will start to break up during a game, then it goes silent. I can still hear the in-game chat, but no game sounds.
After a short while with no game audio, a VERY loud buzzing occurs, that continues until I force close the game and restart it: -
I am using an Xbox Series X, running the public version of the dashboard (not an insider build), a first gen Elite controller with an MS stereo headset adapter, and the Dolby Atmos app for simulated surround sound.
This first happened to me on March 5th, and it happened to me again last night. I only really play on weekends. It does not affect any other games - just OW.
I have seen several other people with Series X consoles complaining of the same issue. The earliest thread I can find on here about it was posted 23 days ago, so around March 4th: -
The last 2 system updates for the Series X were released on February 9th and March 9th, so it doesn’t seem to align with the release of an Xbox update as people started reporting it around March 4th. Likewise, it does not align with an update to the game.
However, the Dolby Atmos app was last updated on March 3rd, which is right around the time people started reporting this, so maybe it’s something to do with that.
I just want to note I experienced this bug after 14 hours of play on the Xbox Series X. It was during quickplay on Junkyard as Echo on I believe March 29th. I have a USB headset, the Rig 800, I was using. I was in a Xbox party where I was talking on comms within the xbox party.
I played normally for several hours, and then the sound stuttered for about 5 seconds, then all game sound went silent. However I could still hear and talk to my friend in the Xbox party. We continued to talk over comms, but I had no audio coming from overwatch. Overwatch’s actual gameplay (visually) was completely uninterrupted with no hitching or anything, I kept playing like usual talking to my friend with just no game audio. Then after several minutes the buzzing sound hit. The buzzing sound was incredibly loud and sudden and edged on (or rather, very much WAS) physical pain. I instantly threw off my headset and screamed. The buzzing lasted several seconds. After the match I opened the xbox menu for overwatch (that has add to group, add to home, etc), and selected quit. I then relaunched Overwatch and it operated normally. I did not restart the xbox in this process. It has not happened since.
This definitely isn’t isolated to the Series consoles, but the loud buzzing may be.
Tonight I was playing with a friend on an OG Xbox One. I was on my Series X. At the exact same time, for both of us, the game audio broke up and then disappeared. We could still hear each other in voice chat. After about a minute, there was a loud crack that both of us heard, then after about another minute, my headset started doing the loud buzzing thing I posted in my first post, but hers did not.
This is a really serious bug and you guys need to fix it before you damage somebody’s hearing.
Just wanted to chime in to say I’m having the same issue on an XBOX Series S console. Only happens in Overwatch. Doesn’t matter if I’m using my headphones or my home theater receiver connected via HDMI. Audio breaks up or immediately starts buzzing. Quitting the game fixes the issue. For me, it’s happening immediately when I launch the game, although it started off happening mid-game.
Having the same issue on Xbox Series X. No other games have the problem and started in early March. Restarting Overwatch fixes it. But it happens randomly.
It definitely appears to be a bug with Overwatch itself.
I’m having this issue as well. Just bought my Series X and a new pair of Astro a40’s like 6 months ago, and I thought my headset was melting. It took a little while before I realized it was an issue on Overwatch’s end and not mine. I’m honestly kind of scared to play the game because I don’t want to damage my headset, or my ears for that matter.
I play on Xbox Series S. I know that if you go to home and quit the game, it fixes the bug temporarily. This bug was introduced on the Reaper event patch and is terrible. In my experience on competitive, it seems to occur at a higher rate on Junker town. I have had a few friends encounter this glitch as well.
Same problem here on Xbox series x
Last sound bug was yesterday comp match had to play all the second part of the map without sound so frustrating…
I know I’m not the only one who report this some of my friends have the same issues…
Same happens with me, but on my xbox series s. I bought the game few days ago and happened twice already. To restore the audio I had to close the game and open it again.
I am having this happen to me after starting to play again recently, I am on the Series X and my friend is also experiencing on the Series S. Sometimes a restart of the game doesn’t help and I have to do a full console restart.
Audio bug on Series X here. Will pop, glitch, loud buzz, then nothing. Can hear everything else on my XBOX. Only quitting and restarting works. Has a high chance of this happening at any given time. Please fix. This sucks! Especially on competitive. This has been going on for a quite a few months. Perhaps 4 months.
Just got this during competitive. The crackling sound got so loud on my tv that couldn’t keep it open. Had to force close a few times until it was normal again, rejoined the match but literally at the end and the rest of the team were understandably annoyed, andddd I was suspended. Soooo annoying, when will it get fixed
