Blizzard Entertainment is making small changes to some of the popular characters of "Overwatch."
Reinhardt is one of the several fighters getting nerfed on the game's latest Public Test Realm. Blizzard is currently testing a slight change to his Earthshatter ultimate ability that makes it less effective against targets. PC Gamer notes that Soldier: 76's bullet damage from his heavy Pulse Rifle is about to be reduced as well. "Soldier: 76 is in a much better place lately, but his damage output was making him a must pick, compared to similar roles," the developer said.
In addition, new hero Orisa continues to be tweaked. Her Protective Barrier cooldown is being decreased from 12 to 8 seconds, and the damage from her Fusion Driver is being reduced by 15 percent. Hanzo and Genji's wall climbing ability is slightly reduced, while Reaper's ammo is automatically refilled when Wraith Form is activated.
"Overwatch's" first anniversary is coming up soon and Blizzard is expected to celebrate that special milestone in the game. The developer has yet to announce plans for future events, but a fan has data-mined the newest Public Test Region (PTR) update and discovered some possible references to the rumored anniversary event. According to Reddit user FailCraft, "Event 6" will introduce new cosmetic items and maps. The game celebrates its first year on May 24, so if this is an anniversary event, players can expect it to be open soon.
On Thursday, Blizzard revealed that "Overwatch" has already made more than $1 billion in overall sales and microtransactions (i.e. loot boxes). The company announced that over 30 million registered users are currently playing the game and it continues to be Blizzard's fastest-rising new franchise. The news was mentioned during parent company Activision Blizzard's earnings report for the first quarter of 2017. "Overwatch" now ranks as the eighth billion-dollar title of the company, joining famed franchises such as "World of Warcraft," "Call of Duty," and "Guitar Hero."
Developed and published by Blizzard, "Overwatch" is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms.
