Overwatch 2 Mercy mains say they’re being “oppressed” as hero bans lead to targeted harassment

Cosplayer playing Mercy from Overwatch 2 in 2018 New York Comic Con Portraits - Source: Getty
Cosplayer playing Mercy from Overwatch 2 in 2018 New York Comic Con Portraits (Image via Getty)

Things are getting pretty heated in the Overwatch 2 world again. This time, it’s all about one of the game’s most loved and also most hated heroes, Mercy. Recently, people started talking online about banning certain heroes from Overwatch 2. That alone was enough to stir up debate. But when the name Mercy got dragged into it, everything exploded. Now, Mercy players, also called “Mercy mains,” are saying they are being targeted unfairly, and they are not happy about it at all.


Why are people suddenly talking about hero bans in Overwatch 2?

The idea came from a few popular Overwatch 2 streamers and pro players. They said that maybe it is time to introduce hero bans in competitive matches. That means some heroes wouldn’t be allowed to be played in certain games. They argued that this could make things more fair, especially when some characters feel too strong or annoying to deal with.

So far, it sounds like a normal game-balancing conversation, right? Well, not really. Because once Mercy’s name came up, the tone of the conversation changed. A lot of people weren’t just saying she should be banned for balance. They were blaming Mercy mains, saying things like the hero takes no skill or that people who play her don’t actually do anything in the game. That is when things got ugly.


Mercy mains feel attacked in Overwatch 2

For people who love playing Mercy in Overwatch 2, all of this feels really personal. Mercy mains have been fighting for respect for years. She doesn’t deal much damage. Her job is to heal teammates and boost their damage. Some players say that it is too easy or not useful enough. But Mercy mains strongly disagree. They say playing her well takes good timing, smart positioning, and strong game sense.

Now, with people calling for bans and mocking Mercy players online, many feel like they are being pushed out of the community. Some even shared that they are getting bullied in voice chats. Others said teammates ask them to switch off Mercy, even when they are doing well in the game. It is upsetting, especially when you’re just trying to play a character you love. A lot of Mercy mains are saying the same thing right now: they just want to enjoy the game like everyone else.

Fans dressed as Mercy in the 2018 New York Comic Con - Day 4 (Image via Getty)
Fans dressed as Mercy in the 2018 New York Comic Con - Day 4 (Image via Getty)

This has happened before in Overwatch 2

This isn’t the first time Mercy mains playing Overwatch 2 have felt attacked. Back in 2017, Blizzard changed Mercy’s ultimate ability. Before, she could revive her whole team at once. After the update, she got a new ability called Valkyrie, and everything about her gameplay changed. Ever since then, she has been at the center of debates. Some players think she is too powerful. Others think she is weak. But somehow, she always ends up being one of the most talked-about heroes.

And every time that happens, her players get caught in the middle. Mercy mains say they are tired of being treated like they don’t belong. They want people to stop acting like healing isn’t important. After all, without support heroes, the rest of the team wouldn’t last very long in a fight.

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For now, Mercy mains are speaking up louder than ever. They said they are tired of being blamed, insulted, or treated like they don’t matter. All they want is to have fun, play their favorite hero, and be part of the community like everyone else.

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Edited by Anshika Jain