The discussion surrounding Tank’s role in Overwatch 2 has been highly charged, however, the Season 12 patch has further amplified their strength, elevating them to the level of formidable raid bosses.
According to OW2 game director Aaron Keller, it is evident that the Tank role is the biggest issue in Overwatch 2. However, this is not due to the role being too weak, but rather the opposite.
During a conversation with the OW devs, veteran streamer Flats emphasized the importance of Tanks in the game, stating that it is nearly impossible for the average player to fulfill all the expectations placed on them in this role. The devs acknowledged his point to a certain degree.
In Overwatch 2, it is crucial for Tanks to be a significant threat in order to have a formidable frontline. This was evident in Season 11, as every Tank received significant buffs which greatly increased their impact on the game.
Despite Season 12 not bringing significant changes to Tanks themselves, their role in the meta was further strengthened due to changes made to everything else surrounding them.
Overwatch 2 Season 12: Addressing the Tank Dilemma
Despite the efforts of the Overwatch 2 development team, it is unlikely that the issue with playing Tank will be resolved quickly. I would even go as far as to say that I doubt it will ever be resolved.
In the world of Overwatch, newer tank heroes such as Mauga and Ramattra are specifically created to support their team in every aspect. On the other hand, older off-tank heroes like D.Va and Zarya have distinct vulnerabilities that the newer characters do not possess. They are not equipped to single-handedly lead the front line.
Therefore, in order to make dive tanks less useful in a 5v5 setup, they must be incredibly overpowered. This was precisely the case with the Season 11 D.Va buffs, which propelled her to the forefront of the meta by allowing her to single-handedly take on 1v3 or 1v4 situations in the enemy’s backline, diverting the entire enemy team’s focus onto her.
In the Season 12 patch, D.Va received a minor nerf of. 5 seconds to her Defense Matrix’s duration, which can be considered a light slap on the wrist. Apart from that, there were minimal changes or slight buffs to Tanks as the new Season began.
Echo’s beam is one of the best abilities for killing Tanks like Sigma and D.Va quickly, but she’s going to be easier to kill in Season 12
Despite this, several essential Tank counters have had their HP reduced in the latest patch. Echo, Hanzo, Sombra, Kiriko, Moira, Lucio, and Juno now have a maximum health of 225. While Mei, Bastion, and Zenyatta remain effective at countering tanky heroes, they may struggle in other aspects and have limited mobility.
The patch notes provide an explanation from the developers for the changes that were made.
“The 2.11.1 patch, which primarily focused on adjustments for all Tank heroes, resulted in a noticeable increase in interest for the role. This also had a positive and lasting impact on queue times for Damage and Support. While there are some additional tuning changes for Tanks in this update, the main focus is on addressing the mobility of several heroes in the Damage and Support roles.”
The developers’ decision to increase the cost for mobile characters’ strengths is understandable from a balance standpoint, however it also reinforces the effectiveness of the 1v5 Tank strategy. Instead of collaborating with your team, players may opt to simply charge towards the enemy’s backline as a dive Tank.
Reducing the relative effectiveness of other heroes will only further emphasize the importance of Tanks and their counters. This will exacerbate the already prevalent issue of counter-swapping and add to the frustration of the dive/rush meta.
The addition of Juno’s movement speed boost has greatly enhanced rush comps, making it difficult to view the changes in Season 12 as beneficial for the overall well-being of the game.
Is there a way to balance Tanks in Overwatch 2?
It is completely inaccurate to claim that Tanks are weak in Overwatch. In fact, they have significantly more health than the majority of other heroes, making them highly durable and capable of dealing substantial damage. Additionally, they have the ability to control a significant amount of space on the battlefield. In Overwatch 2, space is the most crucial factor, surpassing even the number of kills or deaths.
The issue associated with this role is its inconsistency. Whether in casual games or at the highest level of competition, the team with a weaker tank typically loses 9 out of 10 times.
The recent changes, which have increased the power and decreased the health of many characters, have only exacerbated the reliance on having a strong Tank. Even minor adjustments, such as Mercy receiving a 5% damage amplification and 5 additional healing per second, can significantly affect gameplay.
When a Winston with 25 less health dives a support and receives a 5% damage bonus, the impact is significant. Similarly, if the same Winston is trying to escape after diving and receives a 5 bonus healing, there is a higher likelihood of him surviving.
Despite her health being lowered, Mercy’s small changes make her a lot stronger in Season 12
As a result, if Sombra’s damage buffs result in a Tank being eliminated more quickly, your team will inevitably suffer defeat in the battle. These balance changes bring a higher level of risk whether you are attempting to counter a frontliner or defend the front line yourself.
The Season 12 update’s minor adjustments in Overwatch 2 make a significant impact, proving that the game is won or lost by mere inches.
The Tank problem could not have been solved by the OW2 dev team with just one patch. This is why they are proceeding with their 6v6 experiment.
Despite other heroes’ power levels being adjusted, the role remains unaffected, which only serves to worsen the existing problem. The reliance on a skilled tank player in Overwatch 2 matches was already excessive, and Season 12 only exacerbates this issue.
Despite my inability to provide a definite solution, I empathize with the Overwatch 2 development team as they continue to work towards uniting the original game’s heroes with those created for 5v5 matches. Achieving a perfect balance that satisfies all players may prove to be a daunting task.
Despite this, it is evident that the direction in which Overwatch 2 Season 12 is headed is not a positive one.
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