Overwatch is Nerfing One of Its New Heroes From Reign of Talon Season 1

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Alec Dawson, an associate game director for Overwatch, recently announced that the hero Jetpack Cat will be significantly weakened in the next few weeks. The changes will target two of her abilities, which are currently considered too powerful – even stronger than some damage-dealing heroes.

The idea for Jetpack Cat actually started during the very first stages of developing Overwatch. As the team brainstormed hero designs, they sketched a cat with wings, but ultimately decided it was too silly for the game. Fans remembered the concept and nicknamed it ‘Jetpack Cat.’ Years later, with the relaunch of Overwatch and the beginning of the Reign of Talon storyline on February 10th, Jetpack Cat finally became a playable character – almost a decade after its original design was shown.

Overwatch’s Jetpack Cat Is Getting Nerfed Very Soon

  • ‘Claws Out’ and ‘Territorial’ perks are being nerfed
  • ‘Territorial’ will be removed and replaced by a new perk during the Overwatch Season 1 mid-season update

During a recent conversation with Twitch streamer Deemzies, Overwatch game director Alec Dawson explained the accidental damage being caused by Jetpack Cat. He confirmed that players are most often using the ‘Claws Out’ and ‘Territorial’ perks with the hero. ‘Claws Out’ makes Jetpack Cat’s quick melee attack much stronger, dealing 40 damage and slowing enemies down for a short time. ‘Territorial’ changes Jetpack Cat’s healing ability so it also hurts enemies who are nearby.

When fully powered up, Jetpack Cat becomes a formidable opponent. Players can use his ‘Frenetic Flight’ to rapidly close the distance to an enemy, quickly damaging and slowing them with a claw attack. Then, using his Purr ability, he can deal significant damage while also restoring his own health. With this combination, Jetpack Cat can reliably win one-on-one fights, even against powerful Tanks in Overwatch.

Dawson announced that the abilities Claws Out and Territorial will be weakened in a fix released this week. While the exact changes aren’t known yet, it’s possible they’ll deal less damage. However, this is just the first step in a series of adjustments for Jetpack Cat. Blizzard plans to completely remove the Territorial perk in the mid-season update for Overwatch Season 1 and replace it with something new. Details about the replacement perk are still scarce, but it’s expected to be less powerful than the current one.

Man, Jetpack Cat has been crazy popular since she dropped in Overwatch! Seriously, she’s quickly become one of the most hated heroes to play against. I see her banned in almost every competitive match. And it’s not just how strong she is – people also think she’s kind of a troll because her Ultimate lets her just pick up an enemy and yeet them off the map! It’s frustrating, but kinda hilarious too, honestly.

Despite concerns that some of the new characters might be too powerful, Overwatch is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. At the start of 2026, around 40,000 people were playing on Steam, according to SteamDB. With the launch of the Reign of Talon Season 1 on February 10th, that number jumped to a peak of 165,651 – the highest it’s been since Overwatch 2 launched in August 2023. As of February 22nd, the game continues to see high numbers, with a 24-hour peak of 126,640 players.

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2026-02-22 21:34