Next Overwatch update likely nerfing shield tanks, buffing D.Va

William Davis Published 29/09/2019

Shield tanks may no longer be the kings of the meta following the implementation of Patch 1.41.

A test version of the next update recently went live on Overwatch PTR servers. It includes changes both big and small for nearly half of the game’s hero roster.

The most significant of these adjustments are those related to shield tanks such as Orisa and Sigma. These heroes have received various nerfs while dive tanks including Winston and D.Va have been buffed. It is possible these changes may break the current meta and shift it back to dive team comps.

Orisa’s protective barrier’s cooldown has increased from 9 to 10 seconds and Sigma’s Experimental Barrier now has a 1 second cooldown after the ability is recalled. The mad scientist’s Kinetic Grasp no longer blocks Chain Hook or Whip Shot and the duration of his Gravitic Flex has been reduced from 1.2 to 0.9 seconds.

Symmetra’s Photon Barrier has been nerfed as well. The ability’s duration has been reduced from 15 to 12 seconds and its overall shield capacity has been lowered from 5000 to 4000 points. Additionally, her Sentry Turrets’ damage per second has been reduced from 50 to 40 points.

Shield tanks out, dive tanks in with new Overwatch meta?

D.Va’s Defense Matrix has been buffed, with its regeneration rate being increased from 12.5% to 16% per second. Its delay before the ability begins has been lowered from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.

Overwatch’s other major dive tank, Winston, has received buffs to his Barrier Projector. The ability’s duration has been extended from 6 to 9 seconds and its shield capacity has been increased from 600 to 700 points.

It is uncertain whether these nerfs will be enough to shift the meta away from shield tanks until the changes hit live servers in the near future.

Read Also

Twitch

MrBeast marries Thea Booysen: How it could affect the YouTuber’s career Khizar Mundia YouTube giant Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson has married his long-time partner and fellow creator Thea “TheaBeasty” Booysen in a low-key ceremony. MrBeast met Thea Booysen during a trip to South Africa in 2022, and the two started dating in the same year. Booysen is also a content creator known online as TheaBeasty. She is famous for gaming streams. That’s not all she does, though, as Thea Booysen is also an author ...

News

Kalshi had it right: Victor Wembanyama confirmed as NBA 2K27 cover star Zachary Roberts Victor Wembanyama is the latest NBA superstar to grace the cover of a video game, with the San Antonio Spurs star landing on NBA 2K27. This comes as little surprise, as Wembanyama cemented himself as one of the sport's best players last season. He really came on in the playoffs, carrying the Spurs from a lottery team to the NBA Finals. It also shouldn't be that surprising because for months, ...

Valorant

OBS Game Capture isn’t working on Valorant and League of Legends? Here’s why and how to fix it Khizar Mundia Several reports suggest that OBS Game Capture is broken, with Valorant and League of Legends streamers only being able to broadcast a black screen. OBS has responded to the issue, confirming that it exists and also provided a way to fix it. Valorant and League of Legends are two of Riot Games’ most popular titles, and they are being streamed on streaming platforms by creators regularly. On July 21, 2026, ...

News

Kalshi gives election forecasts a tradable market, launches US midterm 2026 prediction hub Khizar Mundia Election predictions have always been a numbers game, as metrics are used to forecast which party or candidate has a higher chance of winning, but Kalshi is giving it a trading angle with a new midterm prediction hub. Prediction markets are consistently gaining traction among traders. They have particularly become popular in jurisdictions where traditional gambling is banned or heavily restricted. An NBC News analysis reveals that Kalshi and Polymarket ...

Twitch

IRL Streaming: What Is It and Why Is It So Popular? Khizar Mundia IRL streaming has become commonplace on all major streaming platforms, and millions of viewers tune in every day to be a fly on the wall as streamers showcase their life. There are numerous IRL streamers, with some showcasing their everyday life and others producing large-scale content for their viewers, such as Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. Regardless of whether you watch Speed broadcasting a World Cup match or a streamer walking ...

Dota 2

Oddin.gg’s head of risk helps explain how alleged match fixing during Dota 2 at EWC was flagged Michael Hassall The Dota 2 competition at The Esports World Cup 2026 was shaken to its core during the Survival Stage earlier in the week when Southeast Asian-backed, South American team PTime (better known as PlayTime) were removed from the event citing “integrity concerns.” While the case is still ongoing, and none of the accused confirmed to be guilty, one of the biggest questions behind the incident was just how these concerns ...

Twitch

Who is SuburbBaby? Here’s everything about Streamer University 2026’s breakout star Khizar Mundia Jacob “SuburbBaby” Ogunlade was already famous on YouTube and TikTok, but Streamer University 2026 has been the breakout moment for his career. Here’s everything we know about the streamer, including his background, dating life, and much more. Kai Cenat created Streamer University for smaller streamers to gain exposure, and SuburbBaby is going viral, seemingly the creator to benefit the most from the 2026 edition. SuburbBaby has been on Twitch for ...