Overwatch 2 Zenyatta change accidentally nerfs his biggest counter
Blizzard Entertainment The Overwatch 2 Season 7 mid-season update brought plenty of Hero changes across the board, but a nerf to Zenyatta has actually led to a bug that gives him the upper hand against his main counter.
Blizzard are constantly adjusting Overwatch 2 Heroes to ensure the meta is fair and balanced. The Season 7 update brought a ton of balancing changes to the likes of Illari and Orisa before the mid-season patch on October 31 added even more buffs and nerfs.
One of the characters who received changes was Support Hero Zenyatta, who, alongside a health increase and Harmony Orb buff, received a substantial nerf to his Orb of Discord.
However, this change has led to a bug that allows Zenyatta to easily get the better of his main counter in Overwatch 2 – Sombra.
Since the mid-season update, Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord can’t be applied to the same enemy for seven seconds after it has been removed. Players can see how long is left before the target is available again through a counter displayed above their head.
But Reddit user ‘Twisted_tadpole’ discovered that this timer can actually be seen on Sombra, even when she’s supposed to be invisible. The DPS Hero is able to cloak herself before hacking and attacking a team’s backline, but this apparent oversight allows Zenyatta to see her.
Zenyatta is a long-range character who usually sits towards the back of the team, healing allies and picking off enemies with his attacks. Sombra is considered to be his main counter in Overwatch 2, but this change has given the upper hand to the Support Hero instead.
Other players joked that “Zens are the hunters now,” with many Sombra mains slamming Blizzard for the change. “From the abhorrent amount of money they make, they can’t even playtest such a simple thing before implementing it?” said one reply.
Meanwhile, some felt that Zenyatta being able to temporarily see Sombra while invisible made for interesting battles between the two: “Tbh this evens the playing field a bit. I say they keep it.”
Blizzard are yet to address the issue, so it’s unclear if this was a deliberate decision to balance the Heroes or just an oversight. If it does turn out to be a mistake, don’t be surprised to see it fixed ahead of Overwatch 2 Season 8, which is set to bring a new Tank Hero.