Overwatch 2 has launched its new beta, and several big changes have been made across the entire character roster, including the addition of Junker Queen, and some major nerfs to both Mercy and Symmetra which have left fans unhappy.
Starting with Mercy, the guardian angel fast-travel ability can no longer be cancelled part way through by hitting crouch, and if you reach the end and jet the full 30 metres to a wounded ally, Mercy will now automatically be launched upwards in a huge mega jump. In the past, this jump was optional – players could remain on the field to quickly get back to helping another teammate. Now, if you do the right thing and try to help somebody with guardian angel, you’re helplessly catapulted upwards away from the action, and into the line of fire of any roof or window-bound sharpshooters.
Symmetra’s abilities have also been significantly dampened. Though the maximum ammo capacity on her photon projector is increased from 70 to 100, it no longer regenerates ammo when damaging barriers. Its max damage has also been greatly reduced, from 120 to 90, and the charge time is now 1.2 as opposed to one second. Symmetra’s turrets no longer slow down targets as much – in the past, turret hits would slow down enemies by 20%, but now it’s only 15. Similarly, Symmerta’s teleporters are less resistant, with their max health decreased massively from 300 to 200.
Players have responded to the changes with frustration. “This is garbage,” writes one user, Responsible_Ad2291, when discussing Symmetra on Reddit. “They took away any chance she has to compete with other DPS.”
“Making you jump automatically when flying to someone is a baffling decision,” writes another, feeleep, in response to the changes made to Mercy. “So awkward. Hope it gets reverted fast.”
For its part, Blizzard has explained that changes made to Overwatch 2 in the beta may be reversed ahead of the game’s full launch on October 4.
“This process of change, discovery, analysis, and change is a never-ending cycle of balance,” the developer says. “With every new hero release or rework, we must be ready to make changes to ensure that they are neither too powerful nor too weak. When we make changes, we are constantly evaluating whether those changes were effective or need more punch behind them. Game balance is a marathon, not a sprint, and many more hero changes await us on the horizon.”
And fan response to Overwatch 2’s new hero, Junker Queen, seems to be more positive, with players revelling in her tech-based weapons, and the discovery that you can use her knife to yoink people into holes even from around corners.