Overwatch update hits PTR, bringing nerfs to Symmetra and others

A bundle of nerfs has landed on the Overwatch PTR.

The 1.40 patch is now being tested, and it looks to bring the first round of balance changes since 1.39’s implementation of role queue. The update aims to soften some of the strongest heroes in the game right now, but does not offer any real buffs to weaker ones.

The biggest change is a significant downgrade to Symmetra’s Photon Projector.

The weapon’s beam width has been lowered from 0.3 meters to 0.15, making it more difficult to hit her opponents. Additionally, the Photon Projector’s DPS per level has been reduced from 65/130/195 to 60/120/180. These nerfs come following a buff to Symmetra’s teleporter and a fix to her weapon that allowed her to pump out much more damage.

Overwatch fans are split on the Symmetra changes. Some fans believe that a nerf was necessary since the recent buffs had turned her into a top-tier hero. Others contend that the buffs simply allowed Symmetra to be a viable pick after years of irrelevance.

Who else is getting nerfed in the next Overwatch update?

Bastion, Zarya, and Sigma also received nerfs.

Bastion came somewhat close to receiving a buff with a quality of life improvement that sees Self-Repair no longer consume resources while Bastion is at full health. Offsetting this completely is a 0.25-second delay when cancelling out of repairing with gunfire.

The width of the beam from Zarya’s Particle Cannon no longer scales with energy. Now it will remain at 0.15 meters wide instead of going from 0.1 meters to 0.2 as Zarya’s energy increased. Additionally, the beam’s max DPS has been lowered from 190 to 170.

Sigma’s Hyper Spheres have had their explosion damage decreased from 35 to 30. His Gravitic Flux’s cast time has also been increased from 0.4 seconds to 0.6.

Few fans are looking forward to these upcoming nerfs, but they are always subject to change during their stay on the PTR. The full patch notes can be found on the official Blizzard forums.