The Jaw-Dropping Overwatch 2 Cassidy Rework Controversy Unveiled

With the cancellation of Overwatch 2's expansive PvE mode featuring RPG-like elements, the focus has shifted towards the game's PvP offerings and upcoming seasons. While the current fifth season may not fully meet players' expectations, there have been enough modifications to keep fans engaged until the release of season six, which will introduce new canon story missions. In the meantime, players can indulge in a Dungeons And Dragons-inspired Overwatch season filled with enchanting cosmetics, a creator-made mode called Defeat The Demon Lord, and a captivating storyline connected to the battle pass progression.

Naturally, a new Overwatch 2 season brings alterations to the hero meta. Junker Queen, Widowmaker, Tracer, Moira, and Reaper have all received adjustments to balance their capabilities, while Roadhog, Lifeweaver, and Genji have been strengthened to enhance their viability. Mei and Cassidy present an intriguing case as their abilities have undergone significant changes. Mei's Endothermic Blaster now acts more as a crowd control tool than as a pure damage-dealing weapon, and Cassidy's updated Magnetic Grenade has become an even greater threat.

How Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade Changed In Overwatch 2

In Overwatch 2, Cassidy's abilities have undergone some significant changes. Previously, Cassidy relied on a Flashbang to stun enemies, allowing players to take advantage of the momentary immobilization to land precise shots. The Flashbang not only stunned opponents but also disrupted their skills and inflicted 25 damage. These crowd control abilities were crucial in the early stages of Overwatch, ensuring that enemies stayed in check.

However, in Overwatch 2, the developers made a concerted effort to reduce the prevalence of crowd control abilities. Consequently, many heroes, including Cassidy, had their abilities modified. Cassidy's Flashbang was replaced with a Magnetic Grenade, which not only pursues enemies but also inflicts greater damage. This alteration eliminated the need for players to aim precisely after stunning opponents, as the new throwable Magnetic Grenade offered a more user-friendly experience. Understandably, those facing Cassidy found this new ability frustrating, as there was less opportunity to effectively counter it.

In Overwatch 2's fifth season, Cassidy underwent a significant change to his Magnetic Grenade ability. Instead of focusing on high base damage, Blizzard decided to reduce the ability's damage from 120 to 70. However, they added an extra 10 damage upon impact and introduced the ability to hinder stuck targets. The new hindering effect prevents heroes like Tracer and Genji from using their movement abilities, effectively preventing them from escaping Cassidy's attacks. This gives Cassidy's team a significant advantage as they have ample time to finish off these hindered heroes.

On top of hindering, the Magnetic Grenade also slows down the movement speed of affected targets by 30% and can magnetize to enemies within a range of 1.5 meters. While these effects may be slightly easier to cope with for smaller and faster heroes like Tracer and Genji, larger heroes such as Doomfist and Wrecking Ball can find themselves severely disrupted by the Magnetic Grenade. These tank heroes heavily rely on their movement abilities to navigate fights and carry out their respective roles. However, being hit by the Magnetic Grenade completely shuts them down and may even force them to switch to a different hero altogether.

It is worth noting that the Magnetic Grenade appears to defy Blizzard's guidelines against excessive crowd control, arguably becoming more bothersome than Cassidy's old Flashbang ability. The fact that it has a low cooldown of only 10 seconds, coupled with its versatility and effectiveness, makes it an invaluable tool that players are eager to utilize before Blizzard potentially lessens its impact.

Overwatch 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.