Multiple tank and support heroes coming to Overwatch, says Jeff Kaplan

Brigitte
Brigitte (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

What you need to know

  • During a livestream, Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan stated that multiple tank and support heroes are coming to Overwatch.
  • This was in response to a discussion about how there are twice as many damage heroes as there are tanks and supports.
  • This is good news, as it means there will be a more balanced hero pool for players to choose from.

During a livestream with Twitch streamer TimTheTatMan, Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan commented that multiple tank and support heroes are coming to Overwatch in the future. This statement was in response to a discussion about how there are twice as many damage heroes as there are tanks and supports in the game currently.

A snapshot of Overwatch gameplay.

Source: Blizzard Entertainment (Image credit: Source: Blizzard Entertainment)

Many players were disappointed to hear that Echo, the newest Overwatch hero, is a damage hero despite this disparity between the roles in terms of quantity. Hopefully, Kaplan's comment will be reassuring to fans who want tank and support players to have a wider hero pool to select from. I myself have always felt this was an issue with Overwatch, and I'm glad to hear that the Overwatch development team is looking to rectify it moving forward. It's important that every role has a wide variety of characters to select from so that every type of playstyle has a place in the Overwatch experience, so hopefully Blizzard Entertainment's plans pan out.

Related: Our guide to the differences between Overwatch and Overwatch 2

What do you think? Do you think Overwatch needs more tank and support heroes, or do you think that the game is better off having a wider pool of damage characters? Let me know.

Overwatch is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Overwatch 2 is also on the way, though we have no information on a release date just yet.

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. You'll find him doing reviews, editorials, and general coverage on everything Xbox and PC. Follow him on Twitter.