Reaper rework in Overwatch 2: What we know so far

The developers have recently teased a potential Reaper rework in Overwatch 2. Long overdue, the character's kit has been extremely lacking, especially with the development and release of newer Heroes that are capable of absolutely demolishing his presence on the field. However, despite such hardships, Reaper arguably remains the best tank-buster Hero in the entire game.

This article will discuss the potential changes that have been teased for the Reaper rework in Overwatch 2 and provide a detailed brief on what players can expect with these changes.

---

What can we expect from the Reaper rework in Overwatch 2?

Comment byu/Blizz_Jodie from discussion inCompetitiveoverwatch

The Reaper rework in Overwatch 2 has been in development for the past few seasons. Being in a complicated place in the meta, the target of this rework has been quite tricky. While most DPS heroes can outshine Reaper at range, Reaper remains the most consistent tank-busting character in the entire game. He can single-handedly dismantle a team's Tank as long as he is able to get close to them.

The primary target of the upcoming Reaper rework is his Shadow Step. Using this ability, the Hero can teleport from point A to point B within a maximum distance of 35 meters. While the ability sounds terrific on paper, Reaper remains stationary and absolutely vulnerable while executing this ability.

During the Developer QnA in Reddit, on May 23, 2024, Alec Dawson stated the following about the Reaper rework in Overwatch 2:

"For Reaper, we went fairly wide as well in the beginning and then started to focus closely on updating Shadow Step. At the moment, we have something we quite like but it's actually a large technical challenge and we are in the process of planning out the work/seeing what's possible. In the meantime, we may buff Reaper in some non-Tank Buster ways as he lost a lot in the most recent update."

The Hero's viability upon transitioning from Overwatch to Overwatch 2 has taken a hit and as the game becomes faster-paced by the minute, abilities like Shadow Step no longer fit in the meta. Furthermore, when using Shadow Step, a voice line is often triggered, ruining the element of surprise and revealing the Hero's position when trying to play stealthily.

The developers plan on reworking his Shadow Step ability while simultaneously buffing him in a non-tank buster manner. We expect to see Reaper receiving mobility-related buffs, and hopefully, certain changes to his kit that will allow him to be a more versatile pick than just being a point-blank Tank buster in the game.

---

To learn more news and updates about Overwatch 2, click on these articles:

• Season 10 patch notes
• Mirrorwatch mode explored
• “Players already changing groups” bug possible fixe
• The broken Autoban system