Blizzard has revealed significant reworks for Overwatch's most contentious heroes, Roadhog and Sombra, with Sombra undergoing a role change from Damage to Support. The developer announced these dramatic updates at BlizzCon 2026, aiming to address long-standing player frustrations with these characters.
Roadhog's Chain Hook has historically been a source of significant player dissatisfaction due to its ability to instantly eliminate squishier heroes. Sombra, meanwhile, has frequently been one of the most banned characters in the game, largely due to her stealth and hack-focused abilities. Both heroes have undergone previous reworks in attempts to balance their impact.
In 2023, Blizzard introduced a trap ability called Pig Pen for Roadhog, but this was later removed in 2025 as part of a reversion to a more streamlined kit. Sombra's abilities have also seen numerous adjustments over the years, including the addition of the Virus ability in 2023. However, these changes have not fully resolved player concerns, with Sombra continuing to be a frequent ban.
The upcoming reworks are intended to make Roadhog a more collaborative team player, according to Blizzard. Sombra's transition to the Support role marks a rare instance of a hero switching roles in the game. Previously, Doomfist moved from Damage to Tank, and Symmetra shifted from Support to Damage.
These hero updates coincide with the introduction of a new support hero, Doctrine, inspired by vampiric themes. Doctrine is scheduled to arrive as part of Overwatch's fifth season in 2026, and is part of Blizzard's plan to introduce ten new heroes throughout the year. Overwatch is currently available as a free-to-play title on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.