‘Overwatch 2’: Roadhog Is Getting ‘Pretty Nerfed’ In A Future Patch

The hook-slinging maniac’s reign of terror in “Overwatch 2” might be coming to an end soon after one Blizzard developer confirmed that the team is actively looking for ways to nerf Roadhog’s ability to one-shot heroes while tanking everything the enemy team throws at him.

Roadhog has been in “Overwatch” since the beginning. Despite having many of his major issues fixed in previous balance updates, he has remained a significant threat to squishy targets thanks to his yank-and-spank playstyle that forces enemies out of position before sending them back to spawn with a shotgun blast.

This will be getting changed soon, as confirmed by lead hero designer Alec Dawson in an interview with Twitch streamer Emongg. Here, Dawson acknowledged Roadhog’s position in the current meta, specifically with how he can instantly delete opponents.

He didn’t specify what will happen to the tank’s iconic combo but mentioned that Roadhog’s ability to one-shot will be changed, not removed.

Dawson further said that they are planning to introduce even more changes to the hero in the future in what may be a “soft rework.”

While Roadhog isn’t as flexible as other tanks like Orisa or the newly-added Rammatra, he is still a great pick for players who want to control the flow of a fight. A well-placed hook can remove a target from a fight instantly and force the enemy team into a losing battle. He can also tank the frontline by himself thanks to his self-heal ability.

Any change to Roadhog’s kit can significantly alter the hero’s job in “Overwatch 2.” However, details regarding these changes are being kept under wraps until January, when the patch is slated to be released.

Later in the stream, Dawson mentioned that they are also planning on buffing Junker Queen in the upcoming January patch. The scale of her changes is currently unknown, but Dawson said she will get a “really spicy change.”

Junker Queen received a number of buffs when the second season began. She now regenerates more health per tick of bleed damage and both Commanding Shout, and her ultimate can now be used more frequently.

Expect to see changes in the tank meta once these buffs and nerfs go live next month.