Overwatch 2Season 12 debuted with a new support hero, Juno, alongside a soft rank reset. Notably, thesignificant tank buffs from Season 11remain largely intact, making the Ranked ladder a point of contention as D.Va’s presence has been substantial. Since the start of Season 12, controversy has been building around the Korean tank hero’s dominance in the meta, with many Top 500 and Grandmaster players taking to X (formerly Twitter) to call for nerfs.
Tanks have consistently been a topic of debate inOverwatch 2ever since the franchise transitioned from 6v6 to 5v5. Although D.Va has always been a solid pick, she’s never commanded the meta as she does now. While opinions may vary depending on a player’s skill and rank, it’s rare to see D.Va considered a “throw pick” in the game’s current state.
D.Va is Facing Criticism for Diminishing Enjoyment of the Game
D.Va Exemplifies the Ideal 5v5 Tank But At A Cost
D.Va is the newest tank hero to dominate the spotlight in the hero-shooter, following past metas that highlighted tanks like Mauga on release and Orisa in early 2024. Interestingly, the rise of D.Va’s dominance began with the controversial tank changes from June, which massively alteredOverwatch 2’s hero tier list in Season 11. Despite the presence of heroes like Symmetra, Mei, and Echo, D.Va remains largely uncontested, especially since one of her strongest counters, Zarya, was nerfed in an emergency hotfix on July 12.
Winston and D.Va are the only tanks that truly capture the essence of 5v5, thanks to their effectiveness as front liners and their ability to quickly peel for teammates and dive targets. However, Winston is often outperformed by D.Va at the moment. D.Va’s Defense Matrix, Self-Destruct — which can provide a chance to re-mech when used strategically, and Boosters give her a notable advantage. Paired withJuno’s Speed Ring ability, D.Va’s Boosters — which are currently on a 3.5-second cooldown, enable her to quickly overwhelm squishy targets with her Fusion Cannons and Micro Missiles while absorbing substantial enemy damage with her Defense Matrix.
“Winston and D.Va are the only tanks that truly capture the essence of 5v5.”
Overwatch 2 Players Are Calling For Nerfs to D.Va
Given D.Va’s effectiveness on every map, it’s common to see tank heroes initially try different options before reluctantly switching to D.Va if the enemy team is already using her. Of course, Zarya is still a worthwhile counter-pick, but she struggles to follow D.Va onto high ground and is limited to two Particle Barriers at a time. Regardless, D.Va seems to only be amplifying the problem of whyplaying tank inOverwatch 2is so frustrating. Tanks are often compelled to play meta-heroes to avoid losing, rather than having the freedom to choose their preferred characters.
Similarly, DPS and support players, particularly hit-scan players, have voiced a desire for more freedom in hero selection, as they face potential losses if they choose to play outside the meta. A viral post fromJay 3, a Top 500 DPS streamer inOverwatch 2, has highlighted this sentiment, amassing nearly a million impressions with the phrase “nerf D.Va she’s not fun” copied and pasted 88 times. The main takeaway from this controversy highlights two perspectives: some view difficulties against D.Va as a “skill issue,” while others believe her current power level is detrimental to the game.
Fortunately, theOverwatch 2community might not have to contend with D.Va’s overwhelming presence for much longer. In a recent Developer’s Take, Lead Gameplay Designer Alec Dawson revealed that the midseason patch willreduce the strength of tank defensive passivesand armor. Team 4 aims to make tanks more punishable, with D.Va specifically mentioned as a target for adjustment.
