Get Excited, Overwatch Fans: Blizzard Teased Possible New Character

[ARCHIVE] Communications Records of Ziegler, A. – Overwatch File 00231 – Security Classification: CONFIDENTIAL pic.twitter.com/lLAxTL2DhO

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 6, 2016

In a tweet that’s taken much of the Overwatch fanbase by storm, Blizzard has stirred up some hefty rumors regarding a possible new addition to the FPS’ hero roster. As you can see above, the tweet features an image that depicts a new weapon design, which appears to be a long-range medical rifle (wrap your head around that one) that functions off of biotic technology. Just like Soldier 76’s healing Biotic Field or Mercy’s Caduceus Staff, the rifle is designed to heal, albeit from a distance. That’s not all, as in the report dialogue between Torbjörn (who designed the weapon) and Mercy, it’s said that the weapon is but a stone’s throw from being possibly modified into a weapon designed to do damage, not heal.

But what does this have to do with a possible new character? Well, taking a look at a few of the rumors whizzing about, folks are making pretty educated guesses as to who owns and primarily wields this weapon. The standout rumor is that the weapon belongs to someone codenamed Sombra, whose presence can be seen throughout the maps currently in rotation and in the background of this older GameSpot video taking a look behind the scenes of Overwatch.

It’s also possible that Sombra is the codename for Ana Amari, an Egyptian soldier and mother of Pharah, Fareeha Amari. Illustrations of Ana Amari have popped up in Overwatch videos before, which you can see over on the Overwatch Wikia. Her fate is currently unknown, as she vanished after Overwatch was officially disbanded. But, given the new call for heroes, it’s possible that she could turn up again (maybe as Sombra, and in disguise) to carry on the fight.

What’s especially telling is a recent tweet from the Brazilian Overwatch Twitter account, which differs from the above original image in that it adds A. Amari as a recipient of the weapon report, alongside Reaper and Soldier 76. Hmm.

Functionally speaking, it’ll be super neat to see how Blizzard goes about implementing a weapon like this. I’m imagining something that handles a bit TF2’s Medic, who has a couple of long-range healing options himself.

While the new tech and new hero seem super interesting on their own, what I’m mostly intrigued by is the obvious care and effort that Blizzard is putting into a mostly online arena-based shooter. The whys and wherefores of the settings often fall to the wayside while you’re running around capturing points, but even a cursory glance at a few things as you play shows that the maps are absolutely steeped in lore.

I find myself interested in the story behind Sombra and Ana Amari, and what that might mean for Pharah if her mother (who, for all intents and purposes vanished) suddenly turns up again. Will they hate each other? Will they even know the other exists? What happens if they fight against each other and one kills the other? Will Pharah turn to Mercy (her wife, obvi, hello OTP) for support? It’s a super intriguing (if maybe a little soap opera) twist to a story in which I’m suddenly super invested.

Whether this tweet points to a new weapon, a new hero, both, or neither (“Hey! Check out this neat lore thing,” is a thing Blizzard does a lot, let’s not forget), I, for one, am entirely appreciative of the effort that went into its design.

(via Polygon)

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