Reinhardt mains are giving up on the hero in Overwatch 2

Longtime Reinhardt mains are giving up on their favorite hero after a series of balance changes have made him worse and worse in the Overwatch 2 meta.

Overwatch 2’s release came with some big shake-ups for the tank class, with Doomfist being shifted into the tank role and every tank in the game receiving some buffs. Things were bound to change with only one tank on each team instead of two.

Reinhardt had his role as a shield tank in Overwatch 1 and was often accompanied by a more aggressive, dive-focused tank like D.Va or Wrecking Ball on a team’s composition.

But his transition to Overwatch 2 has, in many ways, not been a good one. That, combined with a series of balance changes that give players even more ways to counter Reinhardt, has prompted players who main the character to hang up their hammer for good.

Reinhardt mains give up on the hero in Overwatch 2

Reinhardt is a relatively simple character, something that is a double-edged sword in a lot of ways. He’s an immobile tank with a massive shield that effectively keeps his backline alive. It’s pretty hard to miss an ability as Reinhardt, and his ultimate can be an absolute game-changer.

He was one of the first heroes showcased in the lead-up to Overwatch 1’s 2016 launch and is a favorite among many tank players.

But, with two recent changes to Overwatch 2 leaving Reinhardt in an even worse spot than he was already in, players are moving away from their favorite tank to save their win rate. Some others are sticking with their favorite hero no matter what.

Watching my main slowly become weaker after every patch from Overwatch

The two big changes in question are the addition of Ramattra, a character who can shoot directly through Reinhardt’s shield in his Nemesis form, and a very recent Orisa buff that allows her ultimate to penetrate shields, making her a massive counter to Reinhardt where he had the leg up on her before.

The original poster seems hellbent on playing his main until the very end, with an explanation as to what appeals to him about the character pulled from a conversation in the post’s comments.

“He’s my favorite because he’s a pain in the *** to play as every mobile hero is just out of your reach, a lot of heroes and abilities counter him, but when you finally get them, it was all worth it.”

The top comment on the post was a quote from Reinhardt himself in one of the Overwatch cinematics, and something that fully encapsulates the genuine feeling of melancholy amongst the Rein mains on the thread.

“Live with honor, die with glory…”