‘Overwatch’ Update Buffs Newest Character Ana, Nerfs McCree Again

Overwatch has received quite a few changes since launch, and Blizzard is tacking on yet another update.

It’s no secret that Overwatch has had its fair share of problems. Depending on the team build, it could be easier or harder to triumph over your opponents. Take into account that some of the game’s heroes seem to be more viable than others, and you’ve got quite a bit of feedback to dive into from fans who may feel that one character is better than the other. Blizzard continues to listen to fan feedback, and the latest patch focuses on two characters: Ana and McCree.

In a report by IGN, developer Blizzard has made changes to Ana and McCree. Ana is the latest character to have been released in Overwatch, and gamers are already taking advantage of her abilities. As a support character, Ana relies on a sniper rifle and abilities that will either increase an ally’s potential or hinder the enemy’s advance. Fan reception has been mostly positive as she has a healthy mixture of offensive and defensive components.

Blizzard has seen fit to increase Ana’s output in Overwatch, surely gathering praise from the fans who felt she was in need of a tweak. Alongside the patch that made Ana playable, her Biotic Rifle’s rate of fire has seen an increase of 20 percent. The magazine size of her sniper rifle has also been increased. Originally armed with 8 rounds, Ana will now be able to fire ten. With two additional shots before needing to take a moment to reload, this should help in terms of both healing and dealing damage. As a support character, Ana’s overall viability is increased.

Unfortunately for McCree fans, Overwatch is also receiving a portion of the update that will nerf the High Noon cowboy. Originally, McCree appeared to be one of the strongest characters in the game. His ability to stun was almost guaranteed, and his “Fan The Hammer” skill could ensure that even the toughest characters were mowed down. Since launch, Blizzard has taken note of the players’ response to the character.

Ana buffed, McCree nerfed in new Overwatch update https://t.co/UPxkK6Neuz

— Polygon (@Polygon) July 26, 2016

While he received a nerf that toned down his effectiveness in Overwatch, Polygon reports that McCree has received another nerf that targets his damage falloff range and decreases it by 10 meters. However, not all tweaks are negative. McCree’s flashbang technique has had its recovery time decreased from 0.5 to 0.35 seconds. Additionally, the rate of fire on “Fan The Hammer” has been increased by 15 percent. The trade appears to keep McCree capable of dealing damage, although players will have to place him a bit differently.

Blizzard commented on the change in Overwatch, noting how McCree’s overall play will change.

“McCree’s latest range increase helped him quite a bit, but it was a bit too much in the right hands,” Blizzard said in the patch notes. “This change weakens his long range damage somewhat, but still keeps it stronger than it has been in the recent past. The other changes combine to allow him to land more alternate fire shots on targets that he has hit with Flashbang.”

From the looks of things, Blizzard is hoping to keep McCree effective while lessening his ability to overwhelm opponents so easily. Overwatch continues to be patched and tweaked by Blizzard partly based on fan feedback. There’s certainly more to come as Blizzard is also teasing details about a new character, Sombra, who will be added to the roster.

How do you feel about the nerf to McCree? Do you feel that he is a balanced character at this point? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

[Image Via Blizzard]