Overwatch 2 dev reveals reworks of fan-favorite heroes were scrapped
BlizzardAn Overwatch 2 dev has revealed that they were planning reworks for both Reaper and Moira, but both have been abandoned for now.
With so many different characters, and even more releasing every two seasons, the Overwatch meta is always evolving. So, it’s no surprise that certain picks often find themselves struggling to find a place as the game evolves.
To combat this, Blizzard have occasionally completely reworked heroes and updated their kit, with Sombra and Roadhog being two of the most recent examples. Now, an OW dev has revealed that planned reworks for both Moira and Reaper have been put on the back burner.
Moira and Reaper reworks are no longer being worked on
As shared by OWCavalry, Senior Systems Designer, Gavin Winter, told streamer ‘Emongg‘ during the Overwatch Spotlight event that the team was working on major changes to both Moira and Reaper’s kit. However, the development proved unsuccessful and both are no longer being actively worked on.
A Moira overhaul is something that has been discussed for some time and was even tested during the OW2 beta. The Support was given a new Necrotic Orb that debuffed enemies it came into contact with, reducing their damage to the point it could help allies survive Ultimates from D.Va.
However, these changes were ultimately scrapped and the Moira we got in Overwatch 2 was virtually identical to the original in terms of abilities.
Meanwhile, a Reaper rework was promised in late 2023 that was supposed to “modernize” his kit. Then, Alec Dawson later revealed that they had been testing a new secondary ability, but they ultimately decided not to roll it out as it didn’t fit the character.
There has been very little in the way of updates since early 2024, and it seems that the rework has been put on hold for now.
One likely reason for this is the introduction of the new Perks system, which grants every hero two new effects or abilities over the course of a match. In the case of Reaper, one of the options, called Dire Triggers, even adds a long-range secondary fire, although it’s unclear if this is the same one that was previously abandoned.
There’s every chance that the devs could revisit the reworks for both heroes in the future. But with Perks set to completely change the game going forward, and the new Stadium mode coming in Season 16, they’re unlikely to come any time soon.