Overwatch 2 - Why Mei Was Removed & When Will The Hero Return?

Due to some recent issues, the developers over at Blizzard have decided to pluck Mei from the Overwatch 2 roster in hopes of fixing specific issues with her mechanics. Thankfully, Blizzard has given us insight into these problems and when we expect our favorite ice-wielding hero to return.

So if you're keen on knowing more about the fate of Mei in Overwatch 2, keep reading. Below, we've broken down everything you need to know about why Mei was removed and when the hero will return. 

Update on 15 November 2022: Blizzard has confirmed that Mei will return in an Overwatch 2 update on 15th November.

Overwatch 2 - Why Was Mei Removed?  

As stated in a recent blog post from the Overwatch 2 community manager, Craig, "We are temporarily disabling Mei to address a bug with her Ice Wall ability that allowed heroes to reach unintended locations when used with their abilities." This, unfortunately, means that regardless of fan outcry for the adorable ice user's return, we won't be getting her back until the issues with the Ice Wall ability are resolved.

If you've been following the recent news on Overwatch 2 characters, you'll know that Mei isn't the first to be removed, with both Bastion and Torbjörn being removed recently as well. However, they made a prompt return to the game on the 25th October, making it likely that Mei won't be gone for too long either. In fact, the developers over at Blizzard have even given us a time frame to expect her return, as we'll discuss below. 

Overwatch 2 - When Will Mei Return?

During the same blog post mentioned above, it was stated that "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. Thank you for your understanding and patience." This means that for all intents and purposes, we can expect to see Mei return to the overwatch roster on the 15th December. 

However, it should be stated that this seems to be an estimation from the developers and not a guarantee, so we'll just be using this return date as a bookmark for when we expect her return. If the issue is more than a quick fix, then we can expect Mei to return a little bit later, and if it's a simple solution, we might get her back even earlier. 

But for now, at least we know why Mei was removed from the game and have a possible return date to look forward to. So all we can do now is keep warm as we wait for Overwatch 2's ice queen to return. 

For more on the game, check our section dedicated to Overwatch 2 news, guides, features, and more.

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Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.