Unleashing Chaos: Overwatch 2 Demands a New Damage Hero After Season 8

Highlights

Overwatch 2 has focused on adding more Tank and Support heroes, addressing the previous disparity in character count, which saw Damage heroes dominating.

To ensure balance, it is important to recognize the need for occasional additions to Damage heroes, despite Tanks and Supports receiving more attention. A potential solution to keep all players satisfied could be implementing a release pattern that introduces new heroes from each role in sequential seasons. Specifically, after every four Tank and Support heroes, one Damage character could be introduced.

Fans have long voiced their concern about the abundance of Damage heroes in Overwatch 2. At the end of the original game, the number of Damage heroes surpassed both Tanks and Supports combined. While this could be attributed to the relative ease of designing Damage heroes and their popularity among players, Blizzard recognized the issue and took steps to rectify it in Overwatch 2.

Despite the addition of Sojourn as a new Damage hero, the majority of new characters introduced in Overwatch 2 have belonged to the Tank or Support category. These additions, such as Lifeweaver with her sneaky escapes and Illari with her high damage output, have been well-received. The Tank heroes, like Junker Queen and Ramattra, have proven to be highly effective in the 5v5 format, and the upcoming introduction of Mauga in Season 8 promises even more excitement for Tank players. With Supports and Tanks now outnumbering Damage heroes by a ratio of 6 to 1, a change of pace may be on the horizon in Season 10.

Why Overwatch 2 Season 10 is The Right Time For a Damage Hero

To clarify, Overwatch 2 should continue adding Support and Tank heroes. These roles lack the same variety as the Damage category, and it would be challenging to balance the number of characters in each role. However, it's crucial to maintain a balance. The original game heavily favored Damage heroes, so it makes sense to prioritize adding more heroes to the Support and Tank roles in Overwatch 2's initial year and beyond. Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to occasionally introduce new Damage heroes as well.

Blizzard has successfully added three new Tanks and Supports, with a third Tank set to be released in a few months. This leaves Damage fans eagerly anticipating new additions to their role. There are numerous possibilities for new Damage characters, such as a smaller member of D.Va's MEKA squad, a Necromancer, a spy, a fire-wielder, or a saboteur. Blizzard certainly has no shortage of ideas in expanding the Damage roster.

In order to maintain balance, it is crucial not to neglect Damage heroes entirely while expanding the Support and Tank lineups in Overwatch 2. Initially, the focus was on addressing the shortcomings of the original game by prioritizing the other two roles. However, now that Supports and Tanks are receiving the attention they deserve, it would be wise to adopt a healthier release pattern. Instead of following a rigid sequence of One Damage, One Tank, One Support, which may cause the Damage lineup to become overwhelming, doubling up on the other classes could be a better approach.

Ideally, Overwatch 2 Season 10 should introduce a new Damage hero, and the same should occur in Season 20. In the interim, Season 12 could introduce a new Support, Season 14 a new Tank, and this pattern could then repeat in Seasons 16 and 18. By ensuring that players have access to a new Damage hero every 10 Seasons, Blizzard can keep the player base satisfied. While Support and Tank should remain a priority throughout Overwatch 2's lifespan, disregarding Damage entirely would be a mistake. Currently, the Overwatch 2 community must practice patience until Season 10, as that will be the next opportunity for a Damage character to be introduced.

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