Overwatch's next patch might allow Pharah to fly forever

Following all the announcements at BlizzCon last weekend, Blizzard rolled out a new patch to the Overwatch public test realm earlier this week. The big update was the introduction of the hacker hero Sombra, but it also included a small but significant buff to the flying rocketeer Pharah.

According to the PTR patch notes, Pharah's Hover Jets now lift her 35 percent higher. On paper, that seems like a modest tweak, but that extra lift actually means that she can fly around without ever having to touch the ground. If Blizzard retains this buff, it'll open up new avenues for movement, escape, and flanking for Pharah.

Here we are flying around the training ground without touching down for about two minutes:

Good Pharah players can already navigate Overwatch's skies relatively effectively, but this buff makes it remarkably easy for even a Pharah initiate to stay airborne indefinitely. The Hover Jets' increased lift means you can take off with her Jump Jet and then remain airborne long enough for Jump Jet to come off cooldown. In fact, by tapping your hover jets to retain fuel, you can actually gain height throughout the process.

It remains to be seen if this change will make it to Overwatch's live servers, as the PTR is currently Blizzard's testing ground for large balance changes. If it does, expect a lot more justice raining from above in the future.

As the former head of PC Gamer's hardware coverage, Bo was in charge of helping readers better understand and use PC hardware. He also headed up the buying guides, picking the best peripherals and components to spend your hard-earned money on. He can usually be found playing Overwatch, Apex Legends, or more likely, with his cats. He is now IGN's resident tech editor and PC hardware expert.