'Overwatch' character news, game updates: Symmetra to have two ultimates, according to Devs

Screenshot of Overwatch character SymmetraBlizzard Games

A lot of fans were surprised when word got out that Symmetra — the least hero used in the hit first-person shooter "Overwatch" — will get two ultimate abilities. This is certainly groundbreaking news as the other characters will only get one, but a lot of fans understand the reason for this decision since most of them feel that she is a severely underpowered character.

According to News Everyday, Jeff Kaplan — the lead designer for the game — announce that Symmetra will be the first ever character in Overwatch to have a choice between two ultimate abilities. Furthermore, her existing abilities will be changed as well, making her a formidable character when she gets her rework.

First of all, her primary fire can now lock on for up to seven meters, which means that her effective range is increased. Furthermore, Symmetra can now hold six charges when setting up her turrets, and the cooldown for these has been decreased to ten instead of the previous twelve-second cooldown that certainly gives her more chances to change the outcome of games.

But what really changed in her skill roster is the update for her third skill, which is called the Photon Barrier. What this skill does is serve as a shield that has a certain resemblance to Reinhart's but it travels in a straight line. The barrier can only be stopped from moving when it either hits the wall or is destroyed. It has a ten-second cooldown and the barrier has 1,000 hit points.

For her ultimate, players can now choose between the Teleporter ability or the Shield Generator. The latter is a device placed on the ground that can generate a shield to all teammates within range, which also ignores walls and other terrain. As long as the teammates are within the proximity of the generator, they gain a shield.

Interested gamers and fans of the game can find out more about the upcoming patch notes on the "Overwatch" Blog.