Overwatch patch 1.40 nerfs Sigma, Symmetra, and Zarya

Fariha Bhatti Published 19/09/2019

A new Overwatch patch has been released by Blizzard for the retail version of the game and is now available on all platforms. 

Patch 1.40 introduces a number of balance changes to the hero roster, including both buffs and nerfs to the latest addition, Sigma. The Bastion Brick event is also live with the patch.

In Sigma’s first adjustments on live servers since his release, the tank hero has received both buffs and nerfs. His primary fire, Hyper Spheres, now does 30 points of damage instead of 35. This makes Sigma’s attacks a little less threatening to opposing teams. His ultimate has also been nerfed and now takes an extra 0.2 seconds to activate. 

His experimental barrier will now be recalled when he is hacked by Sombra, enabling the enemy team an extra chance to counter him. To make up for the nerfs, his Accretion ability will now deal an extra 10 damage. 

Symmetra and Zarya were both nerfed with patch 1.40, as developers believed that their beam weapons were too strong. Symmetra’s beam width has been lowered by 0.1 meters, and her damage has been reduced at every level. The three stages of her weapon’s damage are being reduced from 65/130/195 to 60/120/180 damage points per second.

Similarly, Zarya’s beam doesn’t increase with damage and will now remains at 0.15 meters in length. Her maximum damage per second has been reduced from 190 to 170. 

Along with the balance updates above, some quality of life adjustments have been made to Mei, Reaper, and Bastion.

Bastion’s self-repair will no longer consume his resource bar once he reaches full health. 

Abilities placed on the ground, such as Mei’s Ice Wall and Reaper’s Shadowstep abilities, have had some adjustments made to how they work. In order to make it a little easier for them to be placed on ledges, the abilities will treat edges with greater priority than the surrounding area when they are being targeted by players.  

The Bastion Brick Challenge is also live, allowing players to win a legendary skin for the hero during the next two weeks of play. The event ends on October 1.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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