Following her debut earlier this month on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Overwatch‘s newest roster addition Orisa is now available to use in Competitive play, Blizzard has confirmed. Having previously been restricted to being usable only in the shooter’s suite of Casual game modes, Blizzard had initially held off on allowing players to take the tank hero into ranked play as a means to allow those looking for a potential new main the chance to accustom themselves to her abilities and playstyle in a low-stakes environment.
"Enhancing combat routines."
Orisa is now available in Competitive Play. Good luck, heroes! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rER5X1pJ0D
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 28, 2017
For those yet to put the new tank hero through her paces, though, Orisa comes equipped with a versatile set of abilities that not only help her to protect teammates but also churn out damage at alarming speed if left unchecked by the opposing team. Both Protective Barrier and Supercharger can singlehandedly help comrades gain a foothold in enemy territory, making Orisa a prime target for deactivation, although you’ll have a tough time doing so on your lonesome when confronted by the quadruped robot’s integrated Fusion Driver weapon.
Although Blizzard has, until now, held off on allowing her into the Competitive scene, the developer looks to have been largely satisfied with Orisa’s performance since release, having only been given one small adjustment in order to put a stop to players abusing a certain loophole pertaining to her movement speed penalty while shooting.
If you haven’t already, check out Blizzard’s own introductory video for the character below. It should help bring those who’ve been on an Overwatch hiatus up to speed.