Overwatch 2 devs mention potential future changes in recent AMA: New abilities for Sombra and Roadhog, Pharah rework, and more

Overwatch 2 Season 3 will introduce a set of hero balances alongside the mid-season update. The community manager for Blizzard Entertainment’s hero-shooter title hosted an AMA session on Reddit. The Lead Balance Designer, Lead Hero Designer, Associate Game Designer, Systems Designer, and the Community Team were open to answering various questions from the community.

The player base commented on the post and stated various inquiries concerning potential hero changes. Most of these questions were answered by the team and provided a glimpse into the expected adjustments.

Let us take a closer look at all the potential hero balances for Overwatch 2 Season 3.

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Overwatch 2 AMA session provides insight into future character changes

Blizzard Entertainment adds massive playable content to Overwatch 2 with seasonal updates. These patches introduce assets like new battle passes, limited-time events, character cosmetics, new challenges, and more. One of the most significant elements includes hero balance changes as it packs more impact on the playstyle and meta of the title.

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New abilities for Sombra and Roadhog

The developers cited the hero update for Mercy as an example to clarify the metrics considered for changes. The team attempts to create changes within the current ability kit of heroes to achieve the desired results. However, if the present abilities cannot be changed to yield results, the team seeks space on the hero to add new ones.

Similar questions are reportedly being raised for Roadhog and Sombra.

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Moira damage reduction

The Lead Hero Designer at Blizzard commented on the community’s concern regarding the state of Moira. The comment outlined that the team is inclined to preserve the current flow of Moira and maintain its position as a comfort pick for the player base. However, the developers might look into the damage output capability of this Support hero and tone it down for better synergies.

The comment highlighted that bringing changes to Moira might be a challenge as her ability kit is finely tuned for all types of players.

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No further Mercy changes

The developers believe that the most recent Mercy changes should be allowed to settle down before taking another look. The team will revisit this Support hero after a cooldown period and make adjustments based on the re-evaluation if deemed necessary.

The current state of Mercy dipped her pick rate from 9% to 8% and increased the overall damage taken stats without affecting the number of average deaths. The mobility reduction brought a sour taste for several players who main the hero.

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Cassidy’s magnetic grenade

The developers are reportedly actively working on empowering Cassidy’s magnetic grenade and have tested different iterations internally. The team accepts that Cassidy's entire ability kit is rudimentary in Overwatch 2 and leaves much room for improvement. Players can expect the grenades to create more openings for the hero to land more shots and inflict more damage.

The developers will not entirely turn the grenade into a flashbang and will only enable players to create a favorable position for battles.

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Pharah rework

Pharah was originally designed as the “rocket launcher hero” but quickly became known as the “flying hero.” The developers understand that her kit is solid even without a Mercy combo and can control the pace of an Overwatch 2 match. Considering a rework would likely reduce the amount of air time Pharah currently gets and cause the hero to lose her identity in the player base.

The question remains whether the hero requires any adjustments, as she can be an easy target for high-tier players and difficult to deal with in low-ranking lobbies.

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Harsher abandon penalties

The Systems Designer put the player base at ease by hinting that harsher penalties will be dished out to those who abandon matches midway. The developers want to introduce more serious punishments for such players in both ranked and unranked matches. The team is also considering penalties that would cross over from season to season, making it difficult to complete challenges with match abandon.

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As of this writing, the Overwatch 2 Season 3 mid-season update is scheduled to go live on March 7, 2023. Players can look forward to a few heavy hero balance changes in the upcoming patch. However, it is important to note that none of the hero balancing or adjustments have been officially confirmed. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for the latest updates and Overwatch 2 hero guides.