Jeff Kaplan’s plan for Overwatch 2020 is to release more balance changes as the dev and the community see fit. As with any other multiplayer game, the rock-paper-scissors of all champions or heroes are difficult to adjust to everyone’s liking. And as time goes, even more DPS, tank, and healer are being released, making it harder for Blizzard to make the proper adjustments.
As the team’s game director has seen, newly publicize heroes can either be meta-defining or a complete flop. With the likes of Ana, Brigitte, and Sigma, their release comes new dawn for the multiplayer game, especially for the eccentric astrophysicist. The tank can burst severe, long-range damage from his primary fire while protecting his allies with a floating barrier. Paired with Orisa, the duo tank is an oppressive pair for any damage dealers. On top of past nerfs, today, Blizzard let out another bunch targetted at the current meta.
Sigma’s Hyperspheres range is reduced to 20 meters from 22, making him less viable in long-range poke battles. His AoE stun, Accretion, is also nerfed to 40 damage from 60. The 31st Overwatch hero’s ultimate ability is the center of strategies as of late. The tactics often include his duo tank’s Halt ability to pull everyone from the opposing team to possibly silence all six players in one skill. The California-based video game company has had enough and adjusts Gravitic Flux. It can now be interrupted before the players start falling.
The changes to Sigma seem insignificant on paper, but combine all the nerfs to his utilities and damage, and it may be enough to shift the game. The one-month-old Guardian Robot, Orisa, sees her damage reduced to 9 from 11, and Fortify cooldown is increased to 10 from 8. As mentioned, her Halt! is a cooldown that brings AoE stun and uncounterable plays from the opposing team. Its snare duration is now 0.65 seconds from one. This small change makes a massive difference, especially during the crucial parts of the match, such as Oasis overtime.
The DPS-healer hybrid, Baptiste, primary fire’s recovery time is increased to 0.45 seconds from 0.36, while his healing explosion is reduced to 50 from 60. Hanzo’s Storm Arrows damage is now 60 from 70, and Reaper’s passive healing is nerfed as well. Called The Reaping, the self-healing is decreased to 30% of damage dealt from 40%. The go-to damage hero will, inevitably, see less playing time with this change.
On a game like Overwatch, players can pick any of the heroes they like and make it work. Though, some favorites struggle to keep their footing no matter the player’s skills. One of these is McCree, who now has 250 hp from 200 in PTR.
To see the complete January 23 PTR patch notes, click here.
