Overwatch 2 removes Mei for at least 2 weeks due to ice wall exploit

By Jesse Lennox Updated November 1, 2022

Blizzard confirmed that it is temporarily removing Mei from Overwatch 2 until November 15 due to a bug discovered related to her Ice Wall ability.

[#OW2] We are temporarily disabling Mei to address a bug with her Ice Wall ability that allows heroes to reach unintended locations. We are working to address these issues as quickly as possible and aim to bring Mei back in our next upcoming patch which is set for November 15. pic.twitter.com/dHP65pMCsX

— Blizzard CS – The Americas (@BlizzardCS) October 31, 2022

Hot off the heels of the removal of both Bastion and Torbjorn due to bugs that would render most of the cast unplayable for players, Mei is the next hero to be temporarily removed from Overwatch 2‘s roster. Both Bastion and Torbjorn have since been reintroduced to the game, but it will not be until November 15, which is when the next scheduled patch for the game, that Mei is due to return.

The reason for Mei’s suspension is stated as being related to a bug involving her Ice Wall ability allowing players to access areas of certain maps they weren’t intended to. By using this ability in specific locations, which creates a wall of ice that grows upward from the ground, Mei is able to exit the normal boundaries of the map. This not only made them essentially invincible, as they couldn’t be seen from inside the map but also allowed them to deal damage from complete safety.

Overwatch 2’s launch has been plagued with issues of all sorts since it launched in October. Despite the extremely long queues and DDoS attacks at launch, plus backlash over its battle pass and monetization systems, the game has seen massive player counts across all platforms. While having three characters have to be taken out of the game within the first few weeks of a game’s launch isn’t a great start for the sequel, at least Blizzard is recognizing and working to fix these exploits and bugs as quickly as possible.

Topics

Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…

Gaming

Overwatch 2’s item prices are the scariest part of its Halloween event

Overwatch 2's Witch Kiriko posing with a broom.

Like many live-service games, Overwatch 2 is dressing up for the holidays. Special events tied to real holidays are common today, as they can bring some fun, limited-time flair to a game. This month, plenty of games are going orange and black for the season, bringing pumpkin spice and scares into players' favorite experiences. It's a cause for celebration, especially for those who particularly vibe with the whole October spooky season aesthetic.

Overwatch 2 Halloween Terror Seasonal Event Trailer 2022

Gaming

How competitive mode works in Overwatch 2

A team of Overwatch characters advance up a street in Overwatch 2.

Not all shooters need, or are intended, to be taken seriously. Some games are just meant to be pure fun with no need to be concerned with how well you're doing, how many kills you get, or which team comes out on top. Overwatch 2 certainly can be played that way, but it also has developed a highly passionate and dedicated audience that wants to master the game and play at the highest levels. While you don't need to be planning on going to any tournaments, it can be a lot of fun to get your group together and see how you do against another team of serious players.

Unlike your standard Quick Play matches, you can't just jump straight into competitive matches when first booting up Overwatch 2 (unless you are upgrading from the first game and have already unlocked it there). This is to allow players a chance to learn the game a bit before diving into an environment where players are taking the game much more seriously. Ranks and divisions are on the line here, after all. If you're curious about how the entire competitive mode works in Overwatch 2, here's a full breakdown.

Gaming

Bastion and Torbjörn temporarily removed from Overwatch 2 due to exploits

Bastion and Torbjorn sitting in the workshop in Overwatch 2.

As if the already troubled launch of Overwatch 2 wasn't stressful enough, Blizzard has temporarily removed Bastion and Torbjörn from the hero roster for emergency maintenance on the serious glitches they've been causing.

According to a post made on the Overwatch Twitter account and in the status update last night, Bastion has been completely disabled from the game while Torbjörn has been removed from every game mode except Quick Play. "Both of these heroes are experiencing bugs that heavily impact gameplay, and we’ll share an update on them soon," Blizzard said.