New Overwatch patch pushes suggested hitscan damage adjustments, D.Va Call Mech changes live

The next Overwatch patch is now live on all platforms, bringing the most recent round of Experimental Card adjustments that went up last week into the main game. 

This means that hitscan heroes are getting hit with that 20-percent damage nerf to maximum falloff range and D.Va’s Call Mech ability remains the biggest change to an individual hero. Soldier: 76 and Bastion will also be getting the previously listed buffs, while Widowmaker’s range rework has been added. 

All of these changes were tested on the Experimental Card and it seems the developers liked them enough to push them live after a week of live trial. Here are the patch notes for the update that’s now available for Overwatch. 

General update

• Hitscan damage now scales to 30 percent at maximum falloff range, down from 50 percent for the following heroes:
  • Ashe
  • Baptiste
  • Bastion
  • McCree
  • Soldier: 76
  • Widowmaker
  • Wrecking Ball

“This change may be difficult to notice immediately as it scales damage over a range slightly more than before, but it will lower the impact of hitscan damage outside of their intended optimal ranges,” the developers said.

Hero updates

Bastion

• Configuration: Recon weapon spread reduced from 1.5 to 1.2

This is a slight buff that makes a Bastion in motion slightly more accurate by reducing the spread on his main weapon.

D.Va (and Echo) 

• Call Mech damage area reduced from three to 2.5 meters
• No longer builds ultimate charge while using Self Destruct until after the mech detonates

This nerf changes the large Call Mech damage radius and stops Echo players from continually building ultimate charge when duplicating D.Va. It should be a simple and effective way to try and curb the previously overpowered ability. 

Soldier: 76

• Heavy Pulse Rifle damage falloff is disabled while Tactical Visor is active

This makes Soldier’s Tactical Visor more useful since it will keep the aim assist but also ignore the damage falloff.

Widowmaker

• Widow’s Kiss damage falloff range increased from 60-85 to 70-100 meters

The developers wanted to keep Widomaker effective at long distances but limit some of the things she could do outside of “effective ranges” through the use of certain elements like mid-air grapple shots.