How Overwatch 2’s New Hero Bans Will Impact Sombra, Zarya, and the Meta

Blizzard Entertainment introduced a hero ban feature in Overwatch 2 back in April. If you’ve played any competitive matches during season 16, you might have noticed that heroes like Sombra, Zarya, Symmetra, Ana, and Mercy often get banned. Recent data from Blizzard supports this trend, showing high ban rates, especially for Sombra.

Sombra has a staggering 85% ban rate on PCs and an even higher 93% on consoles. Zarya comes in second with 59% on PCs and 57% on consoles. This consistent banning could lead to major changes in these characters. Gavin Winter, a senior systems designer at Blizzard, mentioned that the ban data will help guide balance changes. He noted that characters who are rarely picked might get adjustments too, regardless of their performance.

So, what does this mean for banned heroes? If Sombra is off-limits in most competitive games, players may feel discouraged investing time into her. The viability of a character in the game is crucial for keeping players engaged.

Despite some minor issues with the hero ban system, Blizzard feels positive about its overall performance. Winter shared, "We believe the system is meeting most of its goals." They aim to continue refining it as they gather more data on hero win rates and pick rates.

Looking forward, Blizzard plans to add a map-voting feature in season 17, set to launch in late June. This new control will allow players to influence how their matches unfold, enhancing their gaming experience.

In summary, the hero ban feature in Overwatch 2 is shaping how players interact with their favorite characters. As Blizzard collects more data, we can anticipate exciting changes that could impact gameplay significantly.

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