Overwatch 2 Roadhog players, your time atop the Overwatch 2 tier list might be short-lived, as Blizzard’s lead hero designer has outlined a “soft Roadhog rework” that will begin in Overwatch 2 season 2 with a Roadhog nerf directed at the tank’s one-shot capability. This will then lead into changes aimed at making Hog fit better into the new 5v5 meta for the multiplayer game.
This reveal was part of a stream covering the Overwatch 2 patch notes for December 15, where lead Overwatch 2 hero designer Alec Dawson joined prominent Twitch streamers Flats and Emongg to go over the latest Overwatch 2 update – Blizzard notes that this is the first rollout of new hotfix-style updates aimed at faster responses to any potentially unbalanced metas.
Among those most notably hit in the patch are several other Overwatch 2 tanks – dominant diver Doomfist is being reined back somewhat, while Orisa and Ramattra buffs should help them become more competitive. There’s also a small but crucial Ana buff, seeing her damage increased just enough to hit some key breakpoints, while Kiriko, Tracer, and Sojourn nerfs target some of the more troublesome figures. Crucially, Sojourn’s Disruptor Shot will no longer slow enemy movement, making it a little tougher to completely lock down chokepoints.
Dawson says that the first Roadhog changes were initially aimed for this hotfix patch, but that tech issues mean they will now arrive in mid to late January. The focus for these is a nerf to his one-shot capability, making him less able to simply obliterate any squishy he manages to catch with his hook.
“At that time, he [Roadhog] is going to get pretty nerfed,” Dawson explains, “Over time what we want to do with Roadhog is look at his kit a bit more closely – something like a soft rework – and see how he fits in a bit more in the 5v5 environment, and what that means for him as a tank.” He notes that the soft rework “may take a bit more time” but it’s certainly interesting news for a hero that has long felt completely all-or-nothing, especially with the move to 5v5.
It’s also good to see Blizzard adopting this new approach of talking through new balance patches with members of the community – hopefully it’s something that sticks, because it really helps players to better comprehend developer intent and should also present opportunities for other potential future considerations to be discussed.
Overwatch 2 patch notes – December 15
Doomfist (nerfed)
- Rocket Punch: Cooldown increased from 3 to 4 seconds.
- Power Block: Minimum damage mitigated required to empower Rocket Punch increased from 80 to 100 damage.
- The Best Defense: Temporary health gained per target hit with abilities decreased from 40 to 35 health.
Orisa (buffed)
- Terra Surge: Now pierces through barriers upon impact.
- Augmented Fusion Driver: Damage falloff range increased from 15 to 25 meters.
Ramattra (buffed)
- Nemesis Form: Movement speed increased by 20%.
- Nemesis Form: Armor bonus increased from 150 to 225.
- Void Barrier (Omnic Form): Cooldown reduced from 15 to 13 seconds.
Sojourn (nerfed)
- Railgun: Primary fire spread increased by 28%.
- Disruptor Shot: No longer slows enemy movement.
- Power Slide: Cooldown increased from 6 to 7 seconds.
Tracer (nerfed)
- Pulse Pistols: Damage reduced from 6 to 5.5.
Ana (buffed)
- Biotic Rifle: Damage and Healing increased from 70 to 75.
- Biotic Grenade: Effect duration increased from 3 to 4 seconds.
Kiriko (nerfed)
- Invulnerability duration reduced from 1 to 0.85 seconds.
Expect a shakeup to our Overwatch 2 tier list following this latest hotfix. While you might not be able to control the meta, you can ensure you’re using the best Overwatch 2 settings for the highest chance at success. The Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland skins are here, so there’s plenty of ways to celebrate the festive season.