After an extremely short break Overwatch's Competitive Play mode has now returned with Season 6 in tow. While Season 5 may have been a bit of a mess, to put things lightly, Season 6 appears to be starting things off on the right foot. Placement matches are now more accurate and no longer artificially lower your Skill Rating, high SR queue times have been increased in order to provide better matches, the report system has been made significantly more strict, and a variety of previously underpowered heroes have been buffed to competitive viability... and this actually includes Roadhog as well!
If you're looking for all of the details you'll find the patch notes over at the Blizzard website. For those of you just interested in the hero changes, however, allow me to give you the brief list. Have a look:
Junkrat
• Concussion Mine
- Junkrat can now hold two mines
• RIP-Tire
- Tire’s movement speed has been increased by 30%
- There is no longer a time limit when wall climbing
Developer Comments: Giving Junkrat the ability to store two concussion mines adds some much-needed flexibility and versatility to his kit, particularly when using the mines for mobility. RIP-Tire’s damage has always been very good, but it was often difficult to steer the tire into position before it was destroyed. Increasing its speed will allow players to effectively detonate the tire more often and decrease the amount of time that Junkrat is vulnerable while controlling it.
Orisa
• Fusion Driver
- Projectile speed increased by 20%
• Protective Barrier
- Barrier size increase by 20%
- Barrier shape has been changed to allow for more coverage from enemies that are below the barrier
Developer Comments: The projectile speed increase helps Orisa’s consistency, especially at medium ranges (or further). Her barrier size has been increased to better protect her team, and the new shape makes the shield more effective when it’s used on slopes or on top of objects (such as a payload).
Roadhog
• Take a Breather
- Can now be used while moving
- Damage taken while healing has been reduced by 50%
Developer Comments: These changes help Roadhog be much more aggressive when looking for hook targets or blocking for his team. The combination of these effects significantly increases Roadhog’s sustainability and survivability.
Widowmaker
• Grappling Hook
- Cooldown has been reduced from 12 seconds to 8
• Venom Mine
- Affected targets are now visible through walls (to you as Widowmaker only)
Developer Comments: Widowmaker is extremely powerful in the right hands, but her abilities often felt a little weak. The Grappling Hook cooldown reduction means she is more likely to have it available when she needs to escape. Venom Mine is intended to be an early warning system, uncovering enemies that are attempting to flank her or her team. With this change, she can see enemies when they trigger the mine, even if they’re on the other side of a wall.
I wish you the best of luck with your placement matches, and for now I'll leave you with the recently posted Developer Update covering all of the Season 6 changes. Have fun!