Overwatch 2 quietly buffed Zarya’s Projected Barrier in a recent update, providing an unmentioned but significant improvement to the Tank hero. The mid-season update aimed to encourage more supportive use of Zarya’s bubble by increasing its health to 225, reducing cooldown to 8 seconds, and enlarging its size by 15%. However, a hidden change emerged as players discovered the Projected Barrier can now accumulate up to 45 charge, up from the previous limit of 40. While not explicitly mentioned in the patch notes, this alteration allows Zarya to reach higher charge levels more swiftly, enhancing her damage potential.
The intentions behind this part of the buff remain unclear, and players are eager to see if Blizzard addresses it further. The mid-season update also introduced the new Hero Mastery mode, challenging players to optimize specific hero abilities. As Overwatch 2’s Anniversary event approaches, featuring the return of limited-time modes like Battle for Olympus and Starwatch, potential additional balance changes, including adjustments to Zarya, may be unveiled in upcoming updates.
