Alright I think I should talk about the PTR global nerf to ult charge.
I think it's something worth testing, probably even the right direction. However, I definitely do not thing a flat 25% change is a right choice. Flat 25% runs into a lot of problems. Steam rolls becomes more extreme, and lasts longer since it takes the losing team a greater team to build and even off the ult disadvantage. It would affect a lot of ult and hero balances. Mercy's Rez would be pretty worthless. Symmetra Teleport probably even more so, though rework etc yeaaa. Graviton would take even longerrr, making combos even less likely. Whiffing ults become even worse now. Lesser ults doesn't necessarily make ults have less influence on the game. Let's say your support dies before the ult fight, your team dies to ults, then the reactive support ults are basically worthless for the most part and longer time, barring insane plays from the other team. There are a couple of points that nerfing ults probably aim to address.
- More spectator friendly to make OW a better eSport
- Less emphasis on ult fights
- Encouraging more skirmish fights
It's a huge tossup as to whether or not it decreases how much ults influence the game. A global ult charge nerf can sway the thing both ways. The last point is pretty complicated. Because map balance, hero balance etc are tied to how ults work in the game. You often need to build ults on attack / payload maps on offense to break through the point unless you win the first fight (unlikely). This could screw map balance, turning it to favor offense/defense more depending on map and portion of map. Different ults have different level of impact, and different heroes have their kits skewed towards their ult different. eg Mercy is only good because Rez is good. McCree is good even without / with less ult. Genji while having an okay non ult kit, really excels at quick picks to build ult for chaining kills. Zarya's ult is basically free set up. etc etc. Basically, a flat change to rate would indirectly make some heroes inherently better or worse. Basically they really need to alter ults individually rather than a flat thing.
Alternatively, what I'd like better is to lower the impact of ults depending on hero. e.g. reduced damage, duration etc. Like let Genji cast Dragonblade faster but cut it to like lol 3s 4s? Graviton last shorter? Sound Barrier gives less overheal? etc etc, but with same ult rate or slightly tweaked. Imo I think that would be better. But that not make it as spectator friendly as they want.
Anyway yea testing ult changes are good, but a flat global change is imo just misdirected and has plenty of repercussions.