'Overwatch' update: Roadhog nerf coming, designer Geoff Goodman confirms
One of the better things about “Overwatch” is that it does not get stale, and the reason for this is that Blizzard Entertainment continues to make changes to the title. Particular changes in the characters -- which can be good or bad, depending on who is being asked -- keep the playing field interesting and challenging.
Geoff Goodman, who is one of the principal designers of “Overwatch,” detailed changes that will soon be made to Roadhog in a forum. The first changes will focus on making the character’s hook feel more consistent in terms of where the victims or enemies will be pulled towards. Instead of the victim moving in a straight line, for example, they will simply move into the direction in front of the character. Furthermore, there will be a limit as to how far the victim can be pulled.
The nurf also takes his line of sight into consideration. Any victims that cannot see will not be hooked. This will be possible with the changes because the line of sight check will no longer be connected to the hook itself, but will be measured from Roadhog’s actual position.
Moreover, the line of sight check is double checked once the hook has landed. If this check fails, the hook will break off and will return to Roadhog. And while this makes things more difficult for those who prefer to play with the character, it is good for their victims. If the victim moves out of LOS quickly -- whether it is because of falling or being pushed or anything else -- the hook will break earlier and will therefore not pull the victim in.
Goodman then went on to confirm that the changes Blizzard will be making will ultimately make Roadhog weaker in comparison to his current state in "Overwatch." However, the game publisher will continue to evaluate his strength and effectiveness and might make other adjustments if they are deemed necessary.
Watch Roadhog's ability overview
