Overwatch’s Geoff Goodman Explains Blizzard’s Balance Philosophy for Ana
Overwatch lead developer Geoff Goodman explained Blizzard’s balance philosophy for Ana while talking with Dallas Fuel’s Brandon ‘Seagull’ Larned.
During a recent stream Seagull, one of Overwatch’s most popular streamers since the game’s beta, spoke with several members of the Blizzard Overwatch team following the announcement of new hero Wrecking Ball.
While the new hero naturally dominated much of the discussion, Seagull took the opportunity to quiz Blizzard on a variety of topics. At one point, the conversation turned to the state of support hero Ana, the very first hero added to the game after launch.
Having been a staple for some time after her release, in the modern game – at least at the higher levels of play – Ana finds herself often outshone by other support heroes. She doesn’t have the sheer healing output of a Mercy, she deals less damage than a Zenyatta, and her ultimate lacks the utility of a Brigitte.
Though he didn’t confirm any plans for Ana, while talking to Seagull Geoff Goodman did comment on Blizzard’s philosophy when it comes to balancing her. Rather than removing her weaknesses – such as her low mobility or self-healing compared to other supports – Blizzard wishes to focus on making he strengths worth the other drawbacks.
Blizzard hasn’t made any definitive statements about upcoming changes to Ana, but given that she’s currently overshadowed significantly in the support role, the fact that she’s long been a fan-favorite in terms of her core design, and that they’re clearly in the process of bringing older heroes up to scratch for the modern game, it’s hard to imagine they’ve not considered adjustments.
With a new hero about to be released to the live game, major Sombra changes on the PTR and a confirmed Torbjörn overhaul in the works, however, it’s also possible that any significant updates for Ana may be some way off.