One Overwatch Character Is Changing Classes

Overwatch Symmetra

(Image credit: Blizzard)

Fans of Overwatch have been hammering Blizzard with criticisms from top to bottom about the company's overbearing micromanagement of attempting to balance out certain heroes. Well, expect more complaints because one of the characters isn't just getting balanced out, they're completely changing classes.

In a post over on the Blizzard forums, lead game designer Geoff Goodman explained to a concerned reader that Symmetra will be changing classes. A user on the forums was confused about what was happening with Symmetra, because information in various interviews that have recently taken place gave conflicting reports about whether or not she would be getting overhauled or changing classes altogether, and Goodman put the confusion to rest by stating...

We currently have moved her to Defense. We tried a healer version which had her turrets healing instead of dealing damage, but it felt super awkward, especially with how fast Overwatch moves.

Goodman goes on to say that the team at Blizzard Entertainment also experimented with how the turrets are deployed by Symmetra. For instance, there's now the ability to fire the turrets onto the wall instead of having to manually place the turrets on the wall. Once it connects properly to the wall it will unfold and work as intended.

The change comes in light of wanting Symmetra to be more effective on the offense instead of having to rely heavily on just her defensive capabilities. What's more, though, is that this new ability to hook turrets onto the wall can also work for being a defensive character, as she'll now be able to setup positions of the turrets to guard her teammates in strategic ways that opponents may not readily spot when entering into a dangerous area occupied by the opposing team.

The responses to the upcoming changes have mostly been positive since a lot of Symmetra mains have been asking for this update since Overwatch released back in 2016.

A few gamers pointed out that this will be especially useful for placing turrets in high vertical areas of the map to make it difficult for opponents to take them down. Some gamers also went through the process of strategizing how they would deploy the turrets.

A few people were disappointed that the turret deployment has been limited to three, as some players felt as if it would diminish the kind of tactical prowess they could employ with Symmetra. There's also a small group of players who would have preferred that Symmetra maintain a support role and have turrets that healed teammates, as some players only play as support heals.

I'm sure Mercy mains are just happy that the Overwatch team haven't made anymore changes to her, given that all of the tweaks and balances have caused the community plenty of headaches over the years with how many changes she's undergone that have resulted in her being too weak or too powerful.

Goodman doesn't give an estimated time on when the changes are coming, but Symmetra's abilities will also rotate around on the keys, with her Photon Barrier becoming her new ultimate and her teleporter moving to her standard ability roll out. It will be interesting to see how the community responds once play-testing begins on Symmetra's overhaul.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.