Oops, Overwatch 2's new hero is actually a giant slingshot
Throwing your teammates across the map still counts as support, right?
Overwatch 2's new support hero has the unique ability to pull allies toward him, but an apparent glitch causes it to do the very opposite, making it one of the fastest modes of transportation in Blizzard's FPS.
Players have started calling it Lifeweaver's slingshot tech, and it's surprisingly easy to pull off. Overwatch content creators have videos demonstrating the absurdity of the interaction between Lifeweaver's Life Grip and another hero's movement ability.
For whatever reason, the momentum of Lifeweaver's pull is transferred to the target near the end of its animation. So, for instance, if Winston times the use of his Jump Pack—which would normally send him leaping into the air a short distance—during Life Grip, he'll gain incredible speed and travel twice as far, effectively turning him into a gorilla-shaped rocket.
While flinging your teammates across the map like they're a baseball is a surefire way to surprise an enemy sniper or support, it probably won't be as overpowered as it looks. Lifeweaver's Life Grip has a long cooldown, and sending an ally far away from your team without assistance is a risk. Heroes with the ability to escape afterwards, like Tracer or D.Va, would be the best targets. But I also doubt a random player will be able to easily coordinate this maneuver with you. You'll need a buddy for your Life Grip crimes.
Blizzard hasn't commented on whether or not this is intentional. I suspect it's not, but it's also not listed on the most recent patch's known issues post. The development team has stressed the amount of testing that went into this particular ability given how disruptive it can be for teams, and have said they will keep a close eye on it. If you plan on taking the Lifeweaver express to the outer reaches of Horizon Lunar Colony, you might want to do it before Blizzard shuts it down.
Lifeweaver remains an oddity in the Overwatch 2 hero lineup. Players are sharing both frustrating and smart uses of Life Grip and Petal Platform, a flower-shaped pad that raises up into the air when someone steps on it. Reinhardts who have dreamed of pinning a Pharah mid-air? Now's your chance.
Overwatch 2 season 4 is live and includes a space-opera themed battle pass, a customizable Sigma mythic skin, and a roadmap that includes three new limited time modes.