Overwatch’s Most Radical Hero Rework in Years is Coming Soon
Overwatch is receiving one of its most significant hero reworks in its 10-year history with the arrival of season 5. Damage hero Sombra is being relocated to the support role in a radical redesign that marks a major shift in the character’s gameplay and role within team compositions. According to Alec Dawson, associate game director at Blizzard, the core identity and “soul” of Sombra will remain intact despite this fundamental role change.
The rework has proven controversial within the player community, with some Sombra mains expressing disappointment about transitioning from a damage-dealing role to support and healing responsibilities. However, Blizzard maintains that the character’s essential design philosophy persists through the transformation.
Dawson emphasized in an interview at BlizzCon 2026 that players will need time to adjust to Sombra’s new support playstyle before the redesign “will start to click” with them. He also noted that the Sombra rework was particularly challenging and that the path to her redesign was longer than initially anticipated, indicating the development team’s commitment to preserving her identity while fundamentally changing her role.
This rework exemplifies Blizzard’s continued approach to keeping Overwatch’s hero roster fresh and balanced, even when such changes require substantial reimagining of established characters.