Overwatch Season 2 Moves Mercy, Reaper, and Pharah Into the Core Kit
Overwatch is heading into Season 2 with a focused set of hero updates that Blizzard says are meant to address pain points without overloading the game’s newer design. In an update from Alec Dawson, Overwatch associate game director, the studio said the first round of changes will arrive when Season 2 goes live on April 14 ET.
The biggest shift is simple: several abilities that were previously tied to perks will become permanent parts of hero kits. Blizzard says the move is meant to help older heroes stay functional as Overwatch continues to evolve, while keeping the changes narrow and targeted.
Mercy, Reaper, and Pharah Get Permanent Updates
Mercy’s flash-heal perk will become part of her base kit in Season 2, giving her an instant burst of healing as a standard tool. Reaper will keep his long-distance volley all the time, while Pharah’s drift boosters effect will remain active so she can move while casting her ultimate.
Blizzard framed these choices as early examples of a broader effort to tune older heroes without adding unnecessary complexity. the point is to add utility and keep heroes competitive while avoiding kit bloat, especially for characters that have been strained by the game’s newer pace.
In the same update, Blizzard said Roadhog, Lifeweaver, and Sombra are being looked at for reworks later in the year. No details were offered on what those changes could look like, and the studio described the shortlist as extremely early and subject to change.
Why Blizzard Says It Is Making the Change
Overwatch is coming off a season in which healing changes made it harder for some support heroes to keep up, especially Mercy. Blizzard says the Season 2 adjustments are meant to help older kits level up to where Overwatch is now, while preserving the feel of each hero.
Dawson said the team wants simplicity and flexibility in hero design, with player choice built into kits so characters can perform in different situations. He added that some heroes have become too defined by a narrow style of play, and that kit changes may be pursued if they improve overall game health. Overwatch is also set to add new perk replacements for the heroes receiving these baseline changes, though Blizzard did not say what those perks will be.
What Blizzard’s Team Is Watching Next
Blizzard said the integration process may happen again in the future, but not regularly. The studio emphasized that it is not planning to make perk integration a routine part of Overwatch development; instead, it will reserve that approach for cases where the fit is clear and the goal is to strengthen older heroes.
The update also points to a longer list of hero work later in 2026, with Sombra, Lifeweaver, and Roadhog included in the early discussion. For now, the most immediate changes remain Mercy, Reaper, and Pharah, and the next milestone for Overwatch is Season 2 on April 14 ET.
