Overwatch's Symmetra Gets A Class Change, Now Available In PTR

After months of slaving over significant Symmetra changes in Overwatch, Blizzard's vision has finally been realised and is now live in the game's Public Test Realm. The purpose of the PTR is to test out different game tweaks to see if it matches up with what players were wanting. It's a very feedback-heavy testing time, so if there's something players don't like they have time to speak up before those changes go live on the full game.

Symmetra's rework has been talked about for months now moving her from the role of Support into one of Defense. With most of Overwatch's Support line-up consisting of healers, it did seem a bit odd that with her turret-centric play style she wasn't considered more defense. This re-design aims to change that, which ultimately lead to her re-classification.

Blizzard took to their game's forums to give an update on what's new for 'ol Symmy:

Symmetra

• New Abilities

Photon Projector

• No longer locks onto targets
• Range increased to 10 meters
• Damage ramping now takes 2 seconds per damage level instead of 1 second
• Damage ramp increased from 30/60/120 to 60/120/180
• Now generates ammo instead of spending it when hitting a barrier

Alternate Fire

• No longer pierces targets
• Now explodes on contact
• Projectile speed increased
• Charge up speed increased
• Damage changed to 60 impact / 60 explosive

Sentry Turret

• Turret is now placed like a projectile instead of being set in place
• Can hold a max of 3, down from 6
• Can now deploy a max 3, down from 6
• Damage increased
• Amount of slowing effect increased

Teleporter

• Can now place the exit up to 25 meters away from Symmetra
• Entrance will automatically be built in front of Symmetra, rather than at her team's spawn point
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Health lowered to 300
• More things can teleport through it (e.g. Junkrat's RIP-Tire)
• Entrance can be destroyed
  If either the entrance or exit is destroyed, the other is removed

New Ultimate: Photon Barrier

• Deploys a barrier that is big enough to span and cut through an entire map
• Orientation can be changed by pressing the ultimate button again
• Has 5000 health

Developer Comments: The goal of these changes is to move Symmetra to her new damage role and make her more flexible and viable across more areas of the game than she was previously. Now that Symmetra is no longer a support hero, she is expected to be able to dish out heavy damage, and these changes allow for her to do so. She should be more powerful and interesting in more team compositions and maps, and she should also be stronger on offense and defense.

The changes are now live in the Public Test Realm and if all goes according to plan, they will be moved to the main game shortly thereafter.