'Overwatch' update: PTR patch will nerf Roadhog's hook, Blizzard reveals

The next big Overwatch update won't add a new map or character. Instead, it should fix one of the game's biggest flaws.

Most Overwatch players know Roadhog's hook is super broken. Like, goes-through-walls-and-sometimes-makes-you-phase-into-an-alternate-dimension broken.

Like this:

The Overwatch Reddit is full of examples like the above, where Roadhog's hook grabs something outside of the player's line of sight, causing them to get yanked through walls or around corners.

Blizzard has been aware of the problem since at least October, according to Kotaku. But it took a few months for the company to finally announce that an updated version is on the way. Roadhog's new hook, colloquially called "hook 2.0," is coming to the public test realm very soon.

Overwatch update: Roadhog hook 2.0 might hit PTR this week

In a post on Blizzard's forums, Overwatch's principal designer, Geoff Goodman, said that the updated version of Roadhog's hook would be hitting the PTR "ASAP," potentially as soon as this week.

The most important and substantial change is that the Roadhog player will constantly have to maintain line of sight to their target. If at any time that line of sight is broken, the chain on his hook will snap and the ability will be interrupted.

Here is Goodman's full description of how Roadhog's new hook will function:

Firstly, the hook victim will now move in to the position directly in front of Roadhog, rather than just a straight line towards him. There is a cap on how far "to the side" you can be pulled, so you can't just hook someone, spin 180 [degrees], and dump someone off a cliff. This part (along with some other bug fixes) should generally make the hook feel more consistent as to where the victims get pulled.

When this much-needed update hits the PTR, Mic will let you know.

More Overwatch news, updates, tips and tricks

For more on Overwatch, check out the rest of what Mic has to offer. Here's a roundup of the best Overwatch plays of the week, our definitive ranking of every Overwatch hero, a giant Overwatch FAQ for beginners, the latest rumors of a Terry Crews-voiced Overwatch character, all the updates in patch 2.01, the fandom's reactions to the Zenyatta Nutcracker skin, a guide to all the hidden details in the Winter Wonderland event and a list of unlockable goodies you can earn for Overwatch's other characters.