A new Experimental Card is out in Overwatch, and it is only bringing changes to one Hero, Soldier: 76. The changes are huge, however, and they completely change the way his gun works. Here’s what’s happening.
Soldier: 76 changes
Soldier: 76 is getting three major changes to his Heavy Pulse Rifle (his primary fire). His shots will no longer have bullet spread, there will be constant recoil, and he will have 30 ammo instead of 25.
These changes mean that while he is shooting, his gun will constantly recoil, meaning you will need to pull down to keep shots accurate (think Counter-Strike or Call of Duty). The big difference is that his shots won’t have bullet spread, so if you can control the recoil, you will be able to hit every shot without having to burst fire.
The reason for the change
Soldier: 76 has been outclassed by other DPS Heroes for a long time now. While he was a popular pick in Overwatch‘s younger days, he can’t quite compete with hitscan Heroes like Widowmaker, Ashe, and McCree.
The changes on the Experimental Card will heavily reward players who can control Soldier: 76’s recoil. Players who can consistently land headshots with him will be able to deal a significant amount of damage very quickly, similar to Heroes like McCree and Ashe.
These changes will, however, change the way Soldier: 76 players will have to play the Hero. Most Soldier players use bursts of four to six shots to keep his gun accurate. If the changes go through, they will have to learn how to control his recoil instead. It will take some practice to build up new muscle memory on the Hero.
Remember, these changes are not final. If you want to try them out, be sure to queue up for a game on the Experimental Card. Let us know what you think about the Soldier changes in the comments!
