Blizzard is officially dropping the “2” from Overwatch next week, and that means a new start for the hero shooter that struggled after its initial sequel launch. Starting February 10, the game will return to its original name, Overwatch, and kick off Season 1 of a year-long story arc called The Reign of Talon.
The story will follow Talon’s rise under the new character Vendetta that released not long ago, with comics, cinematics, and in-game events integrated into the gameplay.
Blizzard promises this narrative approach will continue throughout 2026, with a new chapter that is supposed to begin in 2027.
Five New Heroes Lead the Charge
Blizzard is also adding five new characters to launch the new era of the game! This is an unprecedented move coming from them, given that we usually do not get that many characters! Here is a small overview of their role and abilities:
- Emre – Damage
- Role: DPS
- Playstyle: Beginner-friendly, fast-paced “run-and-gun”
- Primary Fire: Synthetic Burst Rifle – Three quick rounds in succession. Can jump in without losing movement speed.
- Secondary Fire: Siphon Blaster – Semi-auto pistol with explosive, life-stealing rounds.
- Abilities:
- Altered Vitals (Passive): Regenerates health quickly.
- Cyber Frag Grenade: Deals damage and boosts Emre’s jump when thrown at his feet.
- Take Aim: Scoped fire with no movement penalty.
- Ultimate: Override Protocol – Turns Emre into a living weapon, firing rapid explosive blasts or charging mega shots.
- Domina – Tank
- Role: Poke Tank
- Playstyle: Mid-range tank with shield and crowd control
- Primary Fire: Photon Magnum – Charges up high-impact shots.
- Abilities:
- Barrier Array: Deploys a segmented barrier, and enemies must take away each panel.
- Crystal Charge: Explosive projectile for damage and area control.
- Sonic Repulsors: Push enemies back, stunning them if slammed into walls (a bit like Reinhart in a way)
- Passive: Reconstruction – Damage restores shields.
- Ultimate: Panopticon – Fires a hard-light projectile that imprisons enemies and prevents healing, and the prison explodes when it ends.
- Mizuki – Support
- Role: Healer
- Playstyle: Frontline-focused healer requiring precise positioning
- Primary Fire: Spirit Glaive – Spinning blade that can bounce off walls.
- Abilities:
- Healing Kasa: Throws a boomerang-like hat to heal allies.
- Remedy Aura (Passive): Heals nearby allies based on healing/damage output.
- Katashiro Return: Shoots forward, leaving a paper doll, and can return to it quickly.
- Binding Chain: Pins enemies in place.
- Ultimate: Kekkai Sanctuary – Massive zone that heals allies and absorbs projectiles.
- Anran – Damage
- Role: DPS
- Playstyle: High mobility with burn effects, two ultimates for versatility
- Primary Fire: Zhuque Fans – Fiery projectiles from hand fans.
- Secondary Fire: Fan the Flames – Amplifies burn damage.
- Abilities:
- Inferno Rush: Dash forward, dealing damage.
- Dancing Blaze: Melee strike that dodges damage and hits nearby enemies.
- Passive: Ignition – Deals burn over time.
- Ultimates:
- Vermillion Ascent: Charges forward and explodes, setting enemies on fire.
- Vermillion Revival: Can respawn after death in a Phoenix-like explosion.
- Jetpack Cat – Support
- Role: Healer / Utility
- Playstyle: Funny support with crowd-control potential
- Primary Fire: Biotic Pawjectiles – Heals allies or damages enemies.
- Abilities:
- Lifeline: Pulls allies and grants speed and extra healing.
- Frenetic Flight: Move quickly in any direction.
- Purr: Area pulse heal with knockback that ramps in frequency.
- Passive: Jetpack – Permanent flight.
- Ultimate: Catnapper – Dives in, knocks back, and tethers the nearest enemy for maximum chaos.
Another five heroes are planned to be released before the end of the year, making 2026 potentially the largest hero rollout in Overwatch history!
If you want a look at the best character from the 5, here is an overview of Jetpack Cat:
Seasonal Skins and Collaborations
Season 1 will also feature Valentine’s Day and Rainy Day skins, plus a Sanrio collaboration for characters including Lucio, Juno, Mercy, Kiriko, Widowmaker, and D.Va.
For those who are not familiar with Sanrio, it is all the little cartoons around Hello Kitty and her friends.
Of course, you can also expect a ton of new additional skins for various characters! Here are, for example, the Valentine’s Day skins:
You can also expect Gladiator-like skins:
Gameplay Overhauls and Quality-of-Life Updates
Blizzard is introducing a few other important changes:
- New hero sub-roles with unique passives
- Overhauled UI for easier navigation
- Stadium mode icons and Hero Builder based on live player data
- Lootbox refresh, including last year’s skins
- Mid-season mythic skins for Mercy, Juno, and Mei
- And more to come over the year
Game director Aaron Keller called this update “the biggest launch we’ve ever had in Overwatch’s history,” promising that future seasons will continue to deliver “expansion-like” updates annually.
With a strong focus on the story, a large amount of new heroes, including more funny characters like Jetpack Cat, Overwatch is going to hit all new levels of competition and fun. February 10 marks the start of what could be the return of the Overwatch we all love!
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