Does Blizzard Hate Tanks?

I get the impression that Blizzard doesn’t like tanks…

I remember when the game released, tanks felt, tanky. They had great survivability!

Sure, they couldn’t all do as much damage as the assault classes, and they weren’t as versatile, but they could take more punishment. Some tanks also had the ability to hit harder than most heroes, and this made sense. They had strengths and weaknesses that other players could work around, and you could provide an anchorpoint for the team to rally around.

But now it seems like these roles have been passed onto other classes. Many heroes have great healing abilities, and can keep themselves alive. Teams rally around them.

And while this is happening we get more and more anti-tank heroes, even though tanks aren’t a big threat anymore.
The tanks that did hit hardest have been nerfed, and had their speed boosted.
But why…?
Personally I like slow heroes, and dislike fast heroes. I want my shots to really matter! But I don’t want to compensate by being a glass cannon that relies on fast movement speed. Maybe I’m getting old, but having to micromanage every shot and insanely fast movement makes my hands hurt… I can’t play like that… I loved tanks because I could play a little slower, take a few hits, and contribute to the team.

So why do we see this play-style falling away? Why all the anti-tank heroes?

Not every hero has to be viable in competitive. Some class kits excel in casual modes, in the hands of casual players, while experts use different heroes that get more value than normal when played by Experts. I’m not an expert and can’t play characters that require that level of finesse.
Will we ever see changes made to support tanks?

1 Like

Did we not have this subject already? I swear we did.

13 Likes

Looking for a response from Jeff K? I mean this was all just discussed and even streamers picked up on the thread… they don’t hate tanks, they just don’t like them…

Of course I am joking, they are trying to get people to actually ya know, look out for each other. Most of the current tank problems are due to people refusing to peel for them and running off in different directions…

Someone already made one of these threads and the devs responded saying they’re working on Roadhog.

Pretty sure I saw a similar post before?

We did. I went to look up the dev tracker.

2 Likes

We had this EXACT same discussion like last week

3 Likes

The devs don’t hate tanks…They just like dps more.

Deja Vu, I have been in this place before…

8 Likes

Ok, I know this isn’t a post made by someone in the top rank but asking if blizzard hate tank and is actively trying to replace them when we are in a meta where playing three tanks and as many support is considered like one of the best meta seems weird. I know tanks suffer from control heroes but we are part of the few able to survive the oneshot abilities (df and widow) that are wrecking havoc on the dps and support.

Our role has became harder but I don’t think it has ever been more critical to the team. tank can now both be the scal protecting the dps or the spin and horn of the goat charging the ennemi.

2 Likes

I hate that so much. As a support I can see all my teammates through walls and have to make callouts sometimes.

Just yesterday, I died and our Zarya was fighting on point but our DPS was scattered. As I was respawning, I saw Zarya go yellow and orange and had to call out, “Help Zarya,” to get the DPS back on the point to save her life.

Oh boy did I time travel back to the past?

I don’t think it’s true, community like DPS more because, well, everyone wants to be under the spotlights and say “yay I carried you guys, look at my 3k POTG”
So … Devs are forced to favor the DPS a bit more.

1 Like

Let me first say that, haha, sorry, no I did not realize this Exact question was asked last week. I’m busy at college and haven’t played OW recently because all my favorite heroes are becoming less and less effective.

I realize that tanks still have a vital role in this game, and can be very powerful, but I’ve grown to dislike the experience.

Nerfing heavy hitting classes, or adjusting them to be faster/weaker has become a trend.
A trend I’m really not comfortable with…
When I play as a tank I accept that I’m potential Ult charge for the enemy, and I’m not nearly as versatile as other characters. I accept these weaknesses because I want to be powerful and slow. That’s a play-style that resonates with me. I see the role of many tanks as sitting around, helping, and when a situation that plays to their strengths arises, they dominate the situation. The other team needs to avoid providing these opportunities, or be punished.

When I enter a room, I want people to be scared, because situationally that’s when certain classes should excel! I accepted multiple disadvantages and risks, so that in these situations I can be the strongest! Their speed and abilities vs my brute strength and health. If I play to my strengths I expect to win.
But many characters can stun lock tanks now, or negate their few advantages. If tanks can’t rely on their few advantages, they’re just too risky.

But Blizzard keeps adding more and more anti-tank heroes and abilities. I don’t know why.
Unless something changes, I think tanks will eventually be entirely too risky to rely on. And that’s what this boils down to. We should be ably to rely on tanks, but we can’t anymore.
Other heroes don’t fear tanks. People don’t need to be careful around them because if a tank does get an opportunity and attacks you, you (or a teammate) can likely counter them.

This man trying to get a personal Jeff response out here

Tanks are very strong atm. Although a lot of characters are considered tank buster, only a few are actually reliable.

Although it certainly isn’t easy to be a tank atm, they are by far the strongest role in the game.

love how everyone here is saying this topic has already been discussed when the forums are filled with complains about Mercy with all the same excuses has if we haven’t herd them the first 50,000000 times, we get it! Mercy needs to be fixed!