The Overwatch development team discovered during internal testing that the combination of Jetpack Cat carrying Bastion into the air might be overpowered, but they did not immediately nerf it upon the character's release. The team wanted players to experience this extreme gameplay first, observe how it evolved in actual combat, and then adjust its power level to a reasonable range.
After Jetpack Cat's release, players quickly developed a "helicopter" strategy: she would fly Bastion into the air, allowing Bastion to continuously fire in turret mode. This combination soon dominated the OWCS competitive scene, which is uncommon for a new hero to achieve such a high pick rate in professional matches so quickly.
Associate Game Director Alec Dawson stated that Team 4 not only tested the Jetpack Cat and Bastion combination internally, but also experimented with a three-person lineup including Mercy. The developers found the duo "a bit frightening," while the trio version was even more dangerous.
The team later adjusted Jetpack Cat, including reducing her movement speed when carrying another hero, slightly easing the confrontation dynamics. Dawson believes that balance work should not eliminate all fun and extreme expressions too early, as these crazy moments can also become memorable highlights for players of Overwatch.