The Overwatch sequel isn't just changing the game's name and graphics but also its gameplay. Last year, Blizzard confirmed that it will reduce team sizes from six to five, making tanks far more valuable than ever. Perhaps due to the increased demand for tanks, Blizzard saw it fit to switch a popular attack hero to the role of the game's equivalent for a punching bag, Doomfist, with Orisa getting a mostly new kit.
First up, we've got Doomfist. The former damage-dealer will see a health increase (from 250 to 450) with his Uppercut now gone. Instead, Doomfist will have Power Block, an ability that lets him protect himself from attacks in front. Meanwhile, his former abilities, Rocket Punch and Seismic Slam are both coming back, albeit weakened, for balancing purposes. Geoff Goodman, Overwatch's lead hero designer, explained that the team had no choice but to change Overwatch 2's role. It was either that or reworking Doomfist's entire kit to try and make him work as a DPS.
On the other hand, while Doomfist's kit will feel familiar, Orisa will feel like an entirely new hero. The way that the senior hero designer Brandon Brennan explains it is that the changes turn Orisa into an "engaging, brawly tank." Orisa has lost Halt!, Supercharger, or Protective Barrier in favor of Energy Javelin, Javelin Spin, as well as a new ultimate, Terra Surge. For the first two abilities, the former lets Orisa push enemies back and take extra damage if they hit a wall. Meanwhile, the latter pushes Orisa forward and destroys enemy projectiles with a knockback effect.