Overwatch 2's big mid-season update just hit the wrong target

Overwatch 2 fans waited patiently for the mid-season update, looking forward to the game's much-needed story timeline, as well as the usual buffs and nerfs. The story section seems to be a big hit with fans Overwatch 2A tradition, especially after Blizzard promised to update with new narrative content every other season. As for the latest balance pass, there are some legitimately positive tweaks like the Wrecking Ball HP nerf and Brigitte's Repair Pack speed buff, as well as a resizing of the Lifeweaver model that should increase its survivability. However, one particular buff – that's for the Damage hero Ashe – and the lack of changes for Mercy stand out as clear disappointments.

Overwatch 2's Ashe Buff could make her a threat

One of the hardest things to balance Overwatch 2 and its predecessor was how different the game is on PC compared to consoles. Because of this, there were times when a hero like Torbjorn was a threat on console, while on PC he was extremely easy to deal with, and heroes like Pharah remain more intimidating on PlayStation and Xbox, as reliable hitscan players are harder to find. Recently, Overwatch 2 the hero Ashe was a prime example of this problem, as while she is a decent B-tier choice on PC, she proved to be very strong on consoles. After her latest change, she will very likely be too strong on console.

Overwatch 2The Ashe buff sees her drop range increased significantly. Previously, damage dropped from 30-50 meters, while now it drops from 40-60 meters. This change allows Ash to play further away from the enemy while dealing the same amount of damage, meaning he can blast enemies and really dominate the lobby as it will be harder to get to. This increase in power coupled with the Mercy pocket could see Ash as a real nightmare in the second half of the year Overwatch 2 Season 19. Being available on PC and strong on console, this kind of big fan is a bold decision that could prove to be problematic.

Ashe received no other changes Overwatch 2's midseason update, meaning her other abilities like dynamite and BOB weren't nerfed to compensate for her extra range.

On the Damage front, there was a much greater need for a noticeable nerf to the Tracer series mascot since he's been running the lobby for a few weeks now. Her 6 damage per shot weapons proved unpopular Overwatch 2 community because characters like Echo find it difficult to find value. While projectiles no longer have a global size increase, players were hoping that Tracer would be knocked down by a pin, but that didn't happen. Buffing Ashe while leaving Tracer un-nerfed is a strange misstep, but what's even more of a bummer is that the hero that players have been begging to be updated has once again gone unchanged.

Overwatch 2's Mercy remains a weak link

Overwatch 2 players have been constantly asking for Mercy's overhaul, with suggestions ranging from completely new abilities to making Flash Heal part of her core set and giving her a different perk. While she'll inevitably still play because there's a passionate community of Mercy players, and because she'll be able to boost the now-terrible Ash for more damage, the big problem with Mercy remains. She simply lacks game potential outside of her frustrating rust, which is hard to get and always feels unfair to the opposing team.

The last Mercy changes came back at the start of Season 18 on August 26, and the Winged Reach perk was replaced with Divine Momentum. It's been over 75 days since Mercy received any modifications to her gear.

While a major overhaul for Mercy would make more sense for something like Season 20, which Blizzard touted as a game-changer for the hero shooter, there was still a chance she'd get a buff or the aforementioned flash heal change right now. It's been frustrating for Mercy mains to see heroes like Reinhardt become bigger game makers Overwatch's sequel, while Mercy is basically the odd one out, and it remains to be seen if that ever changes. Sure, there's a lot to appreciate Overwatch 2Latest patch, but ignoring Mercy, buffing Ash, and failing to nerf Tracer stand out as key mistakes this time around. Hopefully, Season 20's leveling pass will focus on any underpowered or overpowered heroes, because on paper there are some red flags to worry about for the rest of Season 19.