Overwatch 2 is making big and small changes to its cast of heroes, with a newly revealed adjustment to Zenyatta falling into the latter category. However, despite only being a minor change, Overwatch 2 fans are extremely excited about the quality of life addition.
Zenyatta is an interesting Support hero in Overwatch, as he functions as somewhat of a class cannon. Fighting from a distance due to his low health and slow mobility, Zen features some deadly orb attacks. For players that are precise with Zenyatta’s orbs, the Shambali monk can be just as deadly as a DPS player, especially with his charged shots. However, the backbone of Zenyatta’s kit are his Orbs of Harmony and Orbs of Discord.
The Orb of Harmony serves as Zenyatta’s main source of healing, with players throwing the healing item onto one of their teammates and letting it do the work. The Orb of Discord provides a major damage boost to selected targets, allowing Zenyatta to weaken an opponent and open them up for a focused attack. However, a big issue that fans of Zenyatta face is keeping track of who is being healed and which target is being weakened. Fortunately, this will no longer be a problem in Overwatch 2, as Redditor hijere shows in an image taken from recent gameplay.
While Overwatch 2’s change to 5v5 play is divisive, most fans are ecstatic about Zenyatta’s new HUD. While his ultimate ability sits in the center of the screen, two images of other heroes can be seen on either side it. On the left, Zen’s Orb of Harmony is seen by Widowmaker, while the right side of ultimate meter houses the Orb of Discord and an image or Zarya. Health bars surround each hero portrait, with Zenyatta instantly able to see how weak his chosen teammate and enemy are. In the heat of the moment, this could be hugely beneficial.
Previously, Zenyatta fans needed to look to the right corner of the screen for this info, with small health bars and names being seen. However, these images are much easier to read, with players having all the information they need right in the center of their screen. The image of the target makes callouts far easier, with the health bar wrapped around the portraits giving Zenyatta an idea of how a fight is progressing. While Redditors like Lord-Tunnel-Cat would also like to see the rest of the team's health bars in the corner of the screen, the response from the Overwatch community has been extremely positive overall.
While the other Overwatch 2 reworks offer some massive changes to members of the game’s cast, it is clear that this tiny Zenyatta adjustment is all fans needed to see. When the sequel releases, keeping track of the action should be a lot easier for fans of the unique healer.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.