Symmetra isn’t the only Overwatch hero in line for a massive overhaul.
Hanzo got his Scatter Arrow replacement on the Overwatch PTR last week, and Symmetra’s up next. But somewhere down the line Torbjörn will get a rework, according to Overwatch developer Geoff Goodman.
Related: Hanzo’s rework isn’t a nerf to the Overwatch sniper
Goodman told PCGamesN that Symmetra is the priority in the short term, but a Torbjörn rework is coming “down the line a bit more.” Torbjörn certainly isn’t as desperate as a case as Symmetra currently is—there is a place and time for Torbjörn, regardless of how rare that situation is.
“It’s not an explicit goal to be constantly reworking older heroes to keep up with the current game, but sometimes when we look at these heroes we can see that they would fit much better into the current game with more significant gameplay changes, rather than just balance tweaks,” Goodman told PCGamesN.
Goodman’s comments align with an update Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan posted on the game’s forum last month, where he confirmed that Torbjörn wasn’t on the immediate horizon, but on the horizon nonetheless. “We’re more focused on Symmetra right now… and someone else,” he added.
That someone could be a new hero, but Kaplan may have also been alluding to Hanzo’s Scatter Arrow overhaul. Scatter Arrow is gone, replaced now with an ability called Storm Arrows. Storm Arrows boosts Hanzo’s firing speed, allowing the Overwatch sniper to rapidly fire six arrows that deal reduced damage. Projectile speed for his regular shot has also been increased. He’s also got a new double jump ability that allows him to leap horizontally.
It’s a positive change for Hanzo—and Overwatch fans hope to see a similarly effective adjustments for Symmetra and Torbjörn.