Overwatch: The Worst Offense Hero

Overwatch is character-driven. Its gameplay revolves around the abilities of different playable heroes, and how these abilities interact with each other. 

 

There are over 30 heroes in Overwatch, each with a number of abilities, and no two are the same. This means that there are over 100 different abilities that players can use in-game. 

 

Overwatch's developer, Blizzard, has its hands full with trying to balance such a wide array of characters and abilities, and as you might expect, sometimes certain heroes fall through the cracks, ending up useless compared to their teammates. 

 

This is what this article is about, the offense character that has the lowest pick rate, as well as the lowest win rate as of 2019. 

 

Now, this is not to say that this hero is entirely useless. At lower ranks, and in certain situations, they can be a beneficial addition to any team. Especially in the hands of a player who knows how to play them. 

 

Sombra

 

It's unfortunate, but it's true. 

 

Sombra was a late addition to the Overwatch roster, being added after the game's initial 2016 release. Generally, post-launch characters in any game are overpowered. This is done to either push players into purchasing them or to return to the game. 

 

Sombra, at least at the moment, has not followed that trend. 

 

The cyber-punk hacker extraordinaire may not be the "worst" globally, but contextual she is. 

 

The thing is, Sombra is a heavy communication hero. Her passive ability lets her see enemies through walls, her hack disables enemies' abilities and first-aid kits, and her ultimate destroys enemy barriers and shields, as well as hacking any caught in its blast.

 

While her Translocator and Stealth abilities give her some solo usability, making her a good hero for chasing down injured foes, her overall kit does not lend itself to a solo playstyle. 

 

The majority of players don't play with a team, especially at the lower ranks. They log on for a few hours per day and just play, as opposed to grinding out ranks with a full roster. 

 

This is why Sombra sees such little play. You need to be able to communicate with your team to effectively use her, which many solo players do not want to do. 

 

It is an unusual case in the meta. Most low win rate / low pick rate heroes sit at the bottom because they are simply not good compared to their counterparts. Sombra's problem is different. 

 

If you have an effective team you can communicate with, I urge you to give her a try for yourself and see what you think. The general consensus is she doesn't deserve that bottom spot that she currently occupies, especially since she hasn't been hit hard by any nerfs.

 

It's a shame, too. Sombra is one of Overwatch's more interesting characters. She has a cyber-punk vibe and aesthetic that I, for one, adore, and her story is great. 

 

Despite my love for her, I don't see her being used more any time soon. It's a hard problem to solve, and Blizzard may not be able to do anything about it.