The Biggest Changes We Need to See in Overwatch 2 Season 5

Going through the hidden flaws in Overwatch 2 that should be fixed in the next patch.

Overwatch 2 is a multiplayer experience that has always put teamplay mechanics front and center. Knowing this, the developers have diverted a lot of their time and energy into honing their team-based shooter, even to the point of cancelling the original vision of its much-awaited PvE campaign.

From its beginning, Overwatch's colorful cast of playable heroes has always been the cornerstone of the game. That said, the futuristic shooter still presents small glitches that have hugely impacted people's experience playing certain heroes. This is something to avoid, especially since the game's esports viewership is tanking. But despite the recent upset, the one silver lining is that more people over at Blizzard will be working on making the multiplayer better that the state it's currently in.

Speaking of multiplayer, there's room for a ton of improvement in the live service right now, not top mention the performance issues some hero roles have been experiencing. These were the biggest ones Overwatch 2 players found. Here are the most significant changes we need to see in Season 5:

Changes We Need to See in Overwatch 2 Season 5

Adjustment on Brigitte's Rally Shield

Since her rework, the stalwart squire has seen more use on the battlefield. What most aren't aware of however, is how her improved Rally shield behaves when she activates her ultimate ability. Brigitte's shield presents a major flaw in this clip shared by Reddit user u/BlaiseLeFlamme, who tried to use the wider shield to block Pharah's Barrage. As seen in the clip, Brigitte's Rally shield unfortunately resets to the front when you press Q. Needless to say, not having your barrier where you need it can lead to a huge waste of her ultimate ability, especially in high-pressure fast-paced situations.

In Brigitte's rework, her kit was modified to make her better suited to being a protector. In the center of her changes was an improved Rally. If her best defensive ability keeps her shield from where she needs it, her usefulness during team fights suffers.

Rally locking Brig's shield position
by u/BlaiseLeFlamme in Overwatch

Fix for Doomfist Rocket Punch 

Doomfist players can turn their camera to catch another target mid-Rocket Punch. This technique can be done by aiming your charged Rocket Punch at your target and quickly adjusting your aim at another enemy mid-charge. As a result, Doomfist can hit multiple players spaced further apart that what his ability normally allows. If you're having trouble visualizing, just check out this clip of u/AnybodyC testing it out in the Training Range.

This “swing” maneuver seems to be a design flaw of Doomfist's forward punch involving his collision physics. It's worthy to note that the multi-target Rocket Punch doesn't work while empowered. And while finding hidden ways to wreck the competition and maximize Doom's damage potential is exciting to say the least (given his current DPS output), this is considered an unintentional buff that should be considered by the developers.

TIL Doomfist can hit multiple targets with a (not empowered) punch
by u/AnybodyC in Overwatch

Overwatch 2 is celebrating Pride month in-game with pride flag gamer tag banners and a redesigned Midtown map! With a huge number of LGBTQ+ flags added in the game, you'll be free to represent your orientation while also participating in the game's first-ever rainbow festivity. Overwatch 2 is also set to release its latest short story entitled “As You Are” that will share a wholehearted tale between Pharah and Baptiste's shared experiences.

More Balance in the Tank Role 

Since the last major mid-season patch, Junker Queen and Ramattra have both stood out in the Tank category. Out of the 11 tanks in the game, these two have hogged the spotlight with better-optimized survivability and recent buffs. It also doesn't help that their arsenal can counter the strongest healers in the Season 4 meta.

With all that in mind, the Blizzard developers can either apply sensible nerfs to bring them down a tier, or elevate the other 9 tanks. There are already talks about scaling back Queen's Commanding Shout, but we'll have to wait for the full patch notes before seeing how the meta operates. Whichever will be the case, hopes are high that more viable damage soakers will be brought forward in Season 5 and beyond. A dynamic ecosystem is a good ecosystem.

Considering the Overwatch 2 team's new direction, these game flaws should either be optimized or outright removed from the game soon enough. With Season 5 a week away, the folks on the Overwatch 2 team will need to buckle down to restore the game's reputation as a triple-A title and — with enough time — make Overwatch 2's future worth fighting for again.

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