Overwatch’s new hero isn’t ready to come to consoles just yet

Orisa, the 24th Overwatch hero, will continue to be exclusive to Windows PC players for the time being, according to game director Jeff Kaplan. That may seem like a longer wait for eager console players than usual, a concern Kaplan acknowledged in a forum post.

“We're getting great feedback and fixing a lot of issues. I know this feels a little longer than other PTR periods, but we think it will be for the better,” he wrote on the Battle.net forum. “We know how anxious you all are to have Orisa join your ranks... and she will soon... but most likely she will go live later in the month rather than this early.”

The reply comes in a thread started by Overwatch players speculating on when to expect Orisa’s console debut. When previous new heroes Sombra and Ana first hit the PC-only public test realm, it only took about a week for them to fully arrive into all versions of the game.

That isn’t the case with Orisa, who Blizzard Entertainment continues to tinker with. A PTR patch this week tweaked the mechanical tank and several other heroes, which suggests that the developer is still trying to find the right fit for the character. Her ultimate ability now has a higher cost, perhaps in response to players finding her a bit overpowered.

Blizzard has changed up the balance of Overwatch’s roster many times since the game launched last May, with this week’s nerfs and buffs causing a particular stir. Two of Ana’s attacks do significantly less damage now, which has proven controversial with fans.

These changes are just in beta, though; they won’t become official until Blizzard pushes them through to the full versions of the game on all platforms. Console players eager to try out the newest hero will have to keep on the lookout until then.