Overwatch 2 Planning Buffs for Reinhardt and Winston

Overwatch 2 is set to receive significant buffs for two classic tank heroes: Reinhardt and Winston. Lead gameplay designer Alec Dawson recently confirmed these upcoming changes in an interview with content creator Spilo. While specifics are still under wraps, players can anticipate substantial improvements.

Dawson highlighted a shift in design philosophy, acknowledging past mistakes in creating overly versatile heroes. The upcoming buffs aim to address this imbalance. For Reinhardt, the planned increase to his Charge's pinning damage to 300 would result in instant kills for most non-tank heroes. Winston's buffs will focus on his Tesla Cannon alt-fire and Primal Rage ultimate. While details on the ultimate are scarce, a reduced charge time for the alt-fire is a strong possibility.

Potential Buffs:

Reinhardt: Charge pinning damage increased to 300.
Winston: Reduced Tesla Cannon alt-fire charge time.
Winston: Primal Rage ultimate improvements.

These adjustments aim to revitalize Reinhardt and Winston, original Overwatch 1 tanks who've struggled to maintain relevance in Overwatch 2's one-tank meta. Their performance has fluctuated between meta dominance and underperformance since the original game's launch.

While Dawson didn't provide a precise release date, the buffs are likely to arrive within the next few weeks, potentially as part of a mid-season patch for Season 11. This timeframe aligns with the typical release schedule of Overwatch 2 mid-season updates.

The interview also touched upon other heroes. Mauga's Cardiac Overdrive is under review, aiming to enhance his diving capabilities. Furthermore, Dawson teased the upcoming Support hero in Space Ranger, describing her as a highly mobile character with a unique mechanic shared by only one other hero. More details on these changes and Space Ranger are expected soon.