Classic Overwatch Heroes, Including Mercy, Receive Upgrades in Season 2

Mercy, Reaper, and some of Overwatch’s classic heroes have faced challenges in the current meta, but Blizzard is stepping in to revitalize them with new abilities that were previously tied to perks. Alec Dawson, the associate game director, shared a blog post detailing these upcoming changes, which will roll out when season 2 kicks off on April 14.

Mercy’s flash-heal ability, allowing her to deliver a quick burst of healing, will become a permanent part of her kit. Reaper will enjoy consistent access to his long-range volley, while Pharah’s drift boosters will always be active, enabling her to maneuver while unleashing her ultimate. Roadhog, Lifeweaver, and Sombra are slated for reworks in the future, though Dawson didn’t provide specifics on how their abilities might evolve.

“Some components of our ever-evolving game are fresh and tailored to fit seamlessly into modern Overwatch,” Dawson noted in the post. “Other elements require some adjustments to remain competitive and engaging. We aimed to ensure that this initial integration of perks was focused; we wanted to enhance the best options for heroes in need of a boost.”

Dawson emphasized the intention to add utility and enhance hero functionality without cluttering their kits with unnecessary complexity. These changes are certainly a welcome addition.

In season 1, Blizzard revamped the healing mechanics, resulting in characters taking less healing when damaged. While this was meant to discourage players from lingering in danger, it has made life tougher for healers like Mercy, who now spends most of her time with her healing stream active, leaving little room for damage boosts or quick saves like other healers have.

Reaper has also struggled; his reliance on close-range combat makes him vulnerable to being stunned, burned, or incapacitated before he can even get a shot off. Pharah’s stationary ultimate has become a running joke, with Blizzard even poking fun at it in one of her April Fools’ voice lines this year. (“Just try and shoot me. You won’t!” Spoiler: everyone does.)

These three heroes will receive new perks to replace those being integrated into their kits, but Dawson didn’t reveal what those perks will entail.

Additionally, season 2 will introduce a new Damage hero, Sierra, along with native support for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Hero 51 will bring homing darts and a drone to the Damage lineup in Overwatch.