Sombra, a damage-dealing hero in Overwatch, is set to undergo a significant rework in Season 5, shifting her to the support role. This marks one of the most substantial hero overhauls in the game's decade-long history. Blizzard acknowledges that this change may be met with apprehension by some of Sombra's existing player base.
Alec Dawson, associate game director for Overwatch, stated that the rework was not initially intended to place Sombra in a support capacity. The development team focused on preserving the hero's distinctive "triangle of lethality"—her damage output, invisibility, and hacking abilities—while maintaining her established personality and playstyle. Dawson emphasized that the "soul" of Sombra remains intact, with the team aiming to avoid drastically altering her core appeal.
"There had been versions [of her rework] that were still in the DPS category that didn't fully get there, where we were looking at sanding down some of her starkness too much," Dawson explained. "I think the version the team came up with is actually really active, really aggressive. Sombra's not going to be in the back just healing the whole time. That's what we really wanted to avoid. We didn't want to [have her be] 'Hey, all she does is heal now.'"
Dawson also addressed concerns from Sombra mains, acknowledging that the role change represents a significant adjustment. He believes, however, that the reworked Sombra's kit will eventually resonate with players once they become accustomed to her new functions. "It'll start to click," he commented.
In her new support role, Sombra is still intended to be a formidable offensive presence. Dawson highlighted her new ability, Hot Fix, a secondary fire that provides a substantial heal over time. This ability is designed to be effective without requiring Sombra to remain constantly engaged with her allies, offering strategic utility for diving teammates like Winston or Genji.
The reworked Sombra will launch on October 6, coinciding with Season 5 and another hero rework for Roadhog. The upcoming season will also introduce a new support hero named Doctrine.