In what has largely become routine by now, Blizzard rolled out the latest patch for Overwatch‘s Public Test Realm servers last week, and as is almost always the case, there’s a part of it that isn’t sitting particularly well with fans of a certain character.
D.Va, along with Roadhog and Ana, received various tweaks to their abilities with the patch, although it’s those made to the former that have proved to be the most contentious. While Blizzard had outlined previously what they’d be adding and taking away from the fun-loving tank hero to make her feel more balanced, it’s only now that players have actually had time to test drive the changes, so to speak.
Responding to feedback on the shooter’s official forums, principle designer Geoff Goodman elaborated on Blizzard’s motivation behind the overhaul, his explanation essentially boiling down to the view that her current incarnation in the live game had no weaknesses, especially against those who were designed to have the upper hand against her. Reaper and Tracer, both mobile characters with fast-firing weapons, have always intended to be the Kryptonite to slower heroes like Reinhardt, Roadhog and D.Va, a reality that was infrequently the case.
“The bottom line is she’s intended to be weaker vs. faster firing weapons (and shotguns), such as Reaper and Tracer. The game is a lot healthier when heroes have strengths and weaknesses,” says Goodman. A cursory glance over the thread has fans concerned over her viability in the competitive scene following the changes going live on all platforms. As always, though, Goodman says the live team will keep a watchful eye on trends following the patch, and they may not all make it into the live build untouched. Likewise, if it feels she’s been whacked by the nerf bat a little too hard, Goodman says Blizzard will “look at helping her out,” in the future.
With how many players Overwatch currently has, we imagine there’s more than a few D.Va fans among you reading this with your own opinions on the changes. Why not give us your conclusions in the comments below?