While Blizzard has understandably come under fire for some controversial choices with Overwatch 2, the biggest being the cancelation of Hero Mode and its associated talent trees, it has also done a good job of removing elements of the original game that players do not find fun. The freeze effect on Mei’s weapon has been taken away, as has the stun from Cassidy’s flashbang. Roadhog recently lost his one-shot capabilities, and in Season 5, Widowmaker will be joining him.
Alongside a nerf to Hanzo that stops him from one-shotting 250-health characters and some welcome Lifeweaver buffs, Widowmaker will only be able to one-hit 200 health heroes within 50 meters or less. This is extremely close range for a character that is meant to be a sniper, as players will likely just choose Ashe instead since Widowmaker will only be viable in the outlaw's usual combat distance. While one-shot kills have ruined the experience for high-level players, and were becoming far too common, this Overwatch 2 change could see Widowmaker becoming completely irrelevant next Season.
Widowmaker’s Big Change Means She Could Need a Rework
While one-shot kills can be infuriating, ultimately they are the one reason to use Widowmaker. Her close range SMG and proximity mine are not viable in big team fights and only exist for self-defense, and her sniper shines when Widowmaker takes up vantage points and keeps her distance. While high-skill players will be able to make Widowmaker work at medium range, doing so makes little sense when there are better characters for mid-range fights like fellow Damage hero Ashe. Being up close puts Widowmaker in danger too, especially with just 175 health, so this nerf seems severe enough to make her a hero to avoid.
Sadly, Widowmaker could find herself in Roadhog’s position with Season 5. Since his one-shot hook kills were removed - a frustrating mechanic that was also his entire identity - his pick rate has dropped drastically. Unfortunately, a major rework of his abilities will not be coming until at least Season 7, meaning that Roadhog mains cannot succeed with their favorite hero until around 2024. Based on these changes, it seems like Widowmaker may also need a rework, but hopefully that adjustment does not take as long as Roadhog's will.
As for how Widowmaker can be changed to make her usable without one-shot kills, Overwatch 2’s April Fools 2023 update could actually hold the answer. During that patch, which was full of random gimmicks for the characters that ranged from interesting to absurd, Widowmaker’s critical shots dealt poison damage. This could be the perfect way to make her capable of one-shotting heroes but giving the enemy team time to react. For example, a headshot could take 80% of a 200 HP hero’s health, with an extra 20% coming in poison damage. This way, healers can react quickly to save a victim of Widow, and it gives Widow users an incentive to strike when the Supports are out of the fight.
While poisonous shots for the spider-themed Widowmaker feel like the best way to make her deadly without constant one-shot kills, another rework option would be to make her Ultimate more effective. While these two-shot kills at long range can stay in place, Widowmaker could get her damage significantly buffed when Infra-Sight is active, making her Ultimate something to be feared instead of an afterthought like it has been for a long time now. The Overwatch 2 community has long asked for an Ultimate buff for Widowmaker, and now seems like the time to do it.
A final option would see Blizzard leaning into the mid-range gameplay loop, buffing Widowmaker’s SMG significantly as well as her health to motivate players to get into team fights more often. No matter what change is made, though, hopefully Widowmaker fans are not stuck waiting for several seasons. Taking Widowmaker’s damage falloff from 30% to 50% is devastating, especially when it is coupled with the effective range dropping from 70-100 meters to 40-60 meters. While a Widowmaker change was needed, a rework should have accompanied it to ensure she is still worth playing as. Currently, it sounds like Season 5 Widowmaker will be completely outclassed by her fellow damage dealers.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Blizzard
