Blizzard issued a hotfix for Overwatch on February 24 that includes the first set of nerfs aimed at Jetpack Cat and a handful of balance tweaks to other recent heroes.
Jetpack Cat joined the roster as one of five new heroes introduced in Season 1. Players and developers quickly flagged the hero for excessive aerial mobility, a very small hitbox, and perks that amplify aggressive play. The hero’s ultimate has also been described as almost guaranteed elimination when used by skilled players.
Associate Game Director Alec Dawson said ahead of the patch that the most-picked perks are the most aggressive ones and that Jetpack Cat can be “very, very lethal in a short window.”
The patch applies two direct perk changes to Jetpack Cat.
- Claws Out (Minor Perk): Cooldown increased from 6 to 8 seconds
- Territorial (Major Perk): Damage reduced from 50% to 33%
The hotfix also adjusts several other heroes and weapons from Season 1 and the recent hero additions.
- Domina (tank): Panopticon ability cost increased by 12 percent
- Anran (DPS): Inferno Rush cooldown reduced from 8.5 to 8 seconds; Dancing Blaze movement distance increased up to 2.25 meters
- Emre: Synthetic Burst Rifle received a damage increase
- Vendetta: Palatine Fang overhead swing damage reduced
- Mizuki: Kekkai Sanctuary duration increased from 6 to 7 seconds
These adjustments are presented as quick fixes to community feedback rather than a large balance overhaul. The patch notes aim to tune the most disruptive elements from the new hero set while leaving room for further changes if needed.
How Does This Impact Overwatch Esports?
Pro teams have been experimenting with Jetpack Cat during Overwatch Championship Series Bootcamp scrims. Individual players have stood out for their Jetpack Cat performance, including Han ‘Chiyo’ Hyeon-seok, who has been notable for highly skilled play on the hero. At present the hotfix is unlikely to dramatically change pro matchups because the first major LAN event is not scheduled until April 2026. That timeline gives teams time to adapt, but it also means Jetpack Cat and the other Season 1 heroes will not appear on stage for at least another month.
The changes to Jetpack Cat are not extreme and the hero remains a strong support option thanks to mobility and healing. It remains unknown whether teams will prefer Jetpack Cat over other support picks in official tournaments.
Tell which Jetpack Cat perk you think matters most in competitive play and follow for updates on roster and balance changes on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.
Overwatch 2
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment
Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play shooter featuring 40+ epic heroes, each with game-changing abilities. Choose your hero, group up with your friends and battle across all-new maps and modes in the ultimate team-based shooter.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Modes: Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2023-08-10
- Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
-
Age Rating:
GRAC 15+ / USK 12 / PEGI 12 / ACB M / CLASS_IND 12 / ESRB T
- IGDB Rating: 69.2/100
