During BlizzCon 2026, the Overwatch development team shared details about Roadhog's upcoming rework scheduled for Season 5. The primary goal of the update is to preserve the tank's core identity while making his combinations less frustrating for opponents and giving the hero more team utility.
Hero designer Scott Kennedy emphasized that the Chain Hook is the foundation of the character, so removing it was never considered. However, the developers adjusted the mechanics to reduce opponent frustration caused by instant one-shots. To achieve this, they reduced the pull distance — enemies now stop farther away from Roadhog, which, combined with the updated double-fire Scrap Gun mechanics, gives opponents a window to react and counterplay.
To address the issue of Roadhog's lack of space control, he will receive a new ability called Trash Compactor. It absorbs damage similarly to D.Va's Defense Matrix or Sigma's Kinetic Grasp, allowing the tank to create a safe window for allies to move forward.
According to senior animator Kyle Disanjh, Trash Compactor also compensates for the loss of the one-shot combo: after absorbing damage, the ability lets players fire the accumulated charge back, giving them a satisfying new skill shot.
Lead producer Kenny Hudson noted that the update aims to strike a balance between making Roadhog fun to play and comfortable to play against. The updated character will arrive in Overwatch Season 5 alongside the new support hero Doctrine and a Sombra rework that also shifts her to the Support role.
As a reminder, Overwatch: Sombra will become a Support hero in Season 5.
