Overwatch 2 players claim devs are slowly killing Reinhardt with each patch
Blizzard EntertainmentOverwatch 2 players are noticing that popular Tank Hero Reinhardt is getting weaker each patch, leaving some not wanting to play the character anymore.
Overwatch 2 Season 2 brought a shift to the Tank meta, not only due to the introduction of Ramattra but also thanks to the December 15 update, which saw a variety of buffs and nerfs in the patch notes.
Despite no buffs or nerfs to Junker Queen or Roadhog, with changes for those Heroes reportedly coming in the mid-season update for Overwatch 2 Season 2, we did see a bunch of Heroes receive changes in the December 15 patch.
Tank Heroes such as Doomfist, Orisa, and Ramattra received changes in the patch. While no changes were made to Reinhardt, Orisa’s buff to her Ultimate ability, Terra Surge, has inadvertently nerfed the beloved melee Tank.
As of the December 15 patch, Orisa’s Ultimate “now pierces through barriers upon impact,” meaning that Reinhardt’s shield is no longer a counter.
Players have been reacting to this on the Overwatch subreddit, with many Reinhardt fans like PoogWeiner claiming that the devs are making the Tank “weaker after every patch.”
Other players in the comments express similar feelings, with one player saying “Rein is my main but I’ve felt him getting weaker as time goes on.” They explain that the Hero’s “shield might as well be paper now with the speed it deteriorates.”
Overwatch 2’s shift to 5v5 gameplay placed more emphasis on Tanks, which also nerfed the shield meta that players saw in the original Overwatch. On top of this, buffs to other Legends like this one to Orisa means that shields are easier to break and get through.
These huge changes are even leaving players not wanting to play Reinhardt and other shield characters anymore, as Reddit user Romerao put a post on Reddit saying “That’s it, I’m Retiring My Shield.”
Clearly, Reinhardt mains aren’t too happy about the changes and inadvertent nerfs to the Tank, however, it does seem like the devs want to move away from the shield meta.
That said, who knows what the future holds for Overwatch 2, as the Tank could get a rework much like Roadhog is set to get if his pick rate and performance get worse, perhaps even in the next season.
For more on Overwatch 2, check out why players are disappointed with the Winter Wonderland event.
Image Credits: Blizzard Entertainment
