Overwatch 2 devs confirm massive Reaper rework to “modernize” his kit

Reaper will finally get the Overwatch 2 rework treatment next, and the devs have claimed that new abilities aren’t off the table.

Since Overwatch was first released, Reaper has been one of the most popular damage heroes, dual-wielding his shotguns to shred tanks and eliminate foes.

However, throughout the years, many players have felt that his kit is too basic, especially with all the new heroes that have come out since, leaving the Talon DPS feeling a bit dated. As such, many have requested a rework, but their demands have fallen on deaf ears.

Luckily, that could be changing in 2024, as Lead Hero Designer Alec Dawson revealed that the team is finally going to be looking to rework Reaper and potentially give him a new right-click ability in the process.

Overwatch 2 could “modernize” Reaper by giving him new abilities

During a developer AMA on Reddit, someone inquired about a possible Reaper rework and Dawson confirmed the team has goals in mind when it comes to revamping the hero.

According to the hero designer, “modernizing” Reaper’s kit is one of those goals and that means taking a look at how Shadow Step and Wraith Form function.

That’s not all, though. Dawson also revealed that Blizzard may also explore new abilities for the hero, but noted that they won’t add a new ability for the sake of adding one.

“[We] don’t want to take the space just because it’s available,” he explained. “If we add something there, we’ll want it to give him slightly more decision making in-combat than he has currently.”

The dev didn’t elaborate on what those abilities could be, but don’t expect to find out for awhile. Typically, Overatch 2 reworks take quite a bit, with Sombra’s revamp, for instance, taking several months.

Still, it’s good to know that Reaper is finally getting some adjustments to make him feel fresh in OW2.

Until then, we’ll have content to look forward to such as a new ranked system coming in Season 9 and a new DPS hero, Venture, arriving in Season 10.