Players familiar with the initial release of Overwatch likely carry mixed yet nostalgic thoughts about the wild and occasionally unbalanced gameplay that characterized its early days. The competitive shooter seemed to take on a more chaotic vibe similar to a party game, largely due to the eccentric abilities of characters like Mei, whose primary attack could freeze opponents in place. Excitingly, this unique gameplay mechanic is rumored to make its return in Overwatch 2.
Alec Dawson, the associate game director for Overwatch 2, provided insight into these developments in a recent blog entry. In his discussion about the advantages and drawbacks of the newly added perks—mid-match enhancements that enable players to gradually boost their abilities—Dawson noted, “players have responded well to perks that bring back old components of a hero’s kit, like Orisa’s Protective Barrier and Hanzo’s Scatter Arrow.”
Building on this positive reception, Dawson hinted that Mei’s freezing ability might also be on the horizon. He stated, “We can’t give away all the changes here, but another classic will be reintroduced – in a different, less overwhelming way – as a Major Perk for a certain icy DPS hero.”
Mei’s freezing ability tends to generate strong feelings among players for two major reasons: A) it was immensely enjoyable to freeze an adversary and line up a perfect headshot, and B) it could be incredibly frustrating to be immobilized, rendered powerless while an enemy Mei aimed her icicle directly at your head.
Countering this ability was often limited to simply fleeing the scene, and one-on-one encounters with Mei frequently favored her, regardless of the skill level of the opposing player. Thus, I’m curious to observe how the revamped freeze mechanic will function, especially since Blizzard recognizes the reasons why it was altered previously.
While Dawson did not provide a specific timeline for when Mei’s freeze would reappear, the blog post focused on Season 16, which is scheduled to commence on April 22.
Microsoft has indicated that the gaming AI showcased in Overwatch 2 last week will only be implemented if developers determine it won’t create an “unfair” advantage.