'Overwatch' Ditches The 2, Introduces Five New Heroes & More

Overwatch is back, no, for real, it’s back.

So long, Overwatch 2, hello, Overwatch. Blizzard Entertainment announced during its Overwatch Spotlight presentation that it has officially ditched the 2 from the title and made many other announcements as part of a major overhaul of the game that desperately needed a reset after the sequel didn’t land well with fans.

“Overwatch is more than just a digit: it’s a living universe that keeps growing, keeps surprising, and keeps bringing players together from around the world. This year marks a huge turning point in how the development team envisions the future of Overwatch, so we are officially dropping ‘2’ and moving forward as ‘Overwatch,'” Blizzard said per a press release.

Fans can also look forward to 10 new heroes, five of them coming next week, and a “new story-driven era” spanning a year-long narrative.

So let’s jump into all of the announcements.

The Reign of Talon Begins

When season 1 of the relaunched Overwatch begins on February 10, players will experience the new story-driven era for the popular hero shooter.

The Reign of Talon will be a yearlong narrative arc that Blizzard says will take place from Season 1 through Season 6.

It is also the first fully connected annual storyline in Overwatch’s history. It will include worldbuilding, events, hero launches, and art direction that will be based on Talon’s global rise.

Talon’s current rise will see Vendetta take over, using revenge as her fuel, as she easily defeats Doomfist in front of his minions.

Overwatch, unfortunately, is struggling to counter Talon’s global takeover.

Reign of Talon will also introduce:

In-game events
Cinematics and Hero Trailers
Short stories and comics
Live map and visual updates
Updated maps reflecting events in the story
New voice lines and character interactions
A fully integrated Narrative Viewer

Say Hello To The New Kids On The Overwatch Block

Ten new heroes are coming to the already stacked lineup composed of members from Overwatch and Talon.

During the Overwatch Spotlight, Blizzard was excited to announce that five out of the 10 would be available beginning February 10.

Repping team Talon will be Domina (tank), Emre (damage), and Mizuki (support), and on Overwatch, we’ll get Anran (damage) and Jetpack Cat (support).

I was able to get hands-on with the new heroes during a recent visit to Blizzard Entertainment’s campus, and I caught the Overwatch bug, because these new heroes are absolutely fun to play with.

Let’s meet the new heroes and their movesets.

Domina -Tank (Talon-aligned)

The Heiress and vice president of Vishkar Industries is easily my favorite out of five new characters and is clearly a BB that’s bad b***ch for those who don’t know who lets her robotic arms and advanced Vishkar technology do all her dirty work while keeping her hands clean.

Dominia is described as the first performer on the battlefield with elegance, with long-range precision while establishing a defensive control zone.

Per Blizzard the description for Domina reads:

Heiress and vice president of Vishkar Industries. Though Domina is not a formal member of Talon, a partnership with Vendetta has granted Vishkar Industries lucrative redevelopment rights for territories under Talon control.

Domina’s moveset:

Photon Magnum (Primary Fire) – Medium-range beam that culminates in a high-impact shot.
Barrier Array – A segmented hard‑light barrier deployed in front of Domina. Each segment must be individually destroyed, creating dynamic defensive angles.
Crystal Charge – Project an explosive crystal and reactivate to detonate it.
Sonic Repulsors – Push enemies back, stunning them if they hit a wall.
Ultimate — Panopticon – Fire a hard-light barrier that imprisons enemies and detonates on expiration.
Passive – Reconstruction – Dealing damage with abilities restores shields.

Emre – Damage (Talon-aligned)

Emre was another favorite to use during my preview session. Emre is the classic case of the poster boy for good, going bad.

He was once an Overwatch agent before aligning himself with Talon. Described as a “fast-paced mobile soldier archetype, with conflicting identity due to cybernetic modification.”

Per Blizzard, the description for Emre reads:

Emre is a former member of the Overwatch Strike Team. He once stood as an example of Overwatch’s ideals, but as Overwatch lost sight of its mission, Emre chose to leave. Freja tracked him down and discovered that his body has been altered with cybernetic modifications. His mind appears to be in conflict; sometimes he behaves like the person he once was, and other times he seems detached.

Emre’s moveset:

Synthetic Burst Rifle (Primary Fire) – Three-round burst weapon.
Take Aim (Secondary Fire) – Hold to zoom in, tightening accuracy and increasing fall off range.
Siphon Blaster – Temporarily wield a semi-automatic pistol with life stealing explosive rounds. Move faster and jump higher while wielded.
Cyber Frag – Throw a grenade that detonates shortly after bouncing.
Ultimate — Override Protocol – An override initiates, transforming you into a living weapon. Fires rapid explosive blasts or charged mega‑shots capable of wiping teams.
Passive – Altered Vitals – Passive health regeneration activates sooner and instantly restores 30 health when activated.

Mizuki – Support (Talon-aligned)

Mizuki is a member of the Hashimoto Clan, who are allies of Talon. I didn’t get to use Mizuki a lot during my preview, but from the little playtime I did get with him, I can see him quickly becoming a favorite among Overwatch players due to his support abilities.

Per Blizzard, the description for Mizuki reads:

Mizuki is a member of the Hashimoto clan, which is aligned with Talon. He has endured years of misfortune and pressure within the clan’s hierarchy. Some believe he may not be suited for the life he has been raised into, but through dedication and influence from senior clan members, he has become a key player. Mizuki has been tasked with infiltrating the Yokai near Kanezaka, but there is concern that he may be influenced by them or potentially drawn to Overwatch.

Mizuke’s moveset:

Spirit Glaive (Primary Fire) – Throw a spinning blade that can bounce off walls, impact enemies and rapidly deal damage.
Healing Kasa – Throw your hat to heal an ally, bouncing to nearby allies and healing you when it returns.
Katashiro Return – Leap forward, leaving behind a paper doll. Reactivate to return and gain increased movement speed while active.
Binding Chain – Launch a tethering chain that hinders the first enemy hit.
Ultimate — Kekkai Sanctuary – Create a sanctuary that heals allies and absorbs enemy projectiles from outside the area.
Passive – Remedy Aura – Heals nearby allies. Healing scales with resources generated by dealing damage and healing.

Anran – Damage (Overwatch-aligned)

While Talon is stacking up heroes, Overwatch is also getting two new members. First up is Anya, Wuyang Ye’s older sister. Like her brother, she also controls the elements. While Wuyang has mastered water, Anra uses fire as her weapon.

Per Blizzard, the description for Anran reads:

The older sister of Wuyang, Anran harnesses the power of Fire when in the heat of battle. She is confident and hardworking, holding others to the standards she maintains for herself. Anran joins Overwatch with the intent to save the world and to keep Wuyang out of trouble.

Anran’s moveset:

Zhuque Fans (Primary Fire) – Hand fans that shoot fiery projectiles.
Fan the Flames (Secondary Fire) – Hot wind blast that amplifies burning damage.
Inferno Rush – Propel yourself forward and damage enemies you impact.
Dancing Blaze – Strike nearby enemies while dodging all damage.
Ultimate — Vermillion Ascent (Alive) – Charge forward, exploding on impact and instantly igniting enemies.
Ultimate — Vermillion Revival (Dead) – When dead, revive yourself in a fiery explosion.
Passive – Ignition – Hit enemies with fire attacks to burn them.

Anran will be available early via a Hero Trial beginning February 5.

Jetpack Cat – Support (Overwatch – aligned)

Jetpack Cat has long been rumored to be a hero, yet many believed she was just a joke. Now she is finally real and could become one of the best support characters ever, thanks to her ability to carry teammates, which can turn Tanks into devastating bombs from above.

Her ultimate ability also allows her to tether onto enemies so she can dump them off the map.

Per Blizzard, the description for Jetpack Cat reads:

Found as a stray in Gibraltar, little is known about Jetpack Cat other than how dangerous she is in fights, with quick reflexes and a kit befitting a feline Hero.

Jetpack Cats moveset:

Biotic Pawjectiles (Primary Fire) – Mid‑range projectile spread that heals allies and damages enemies.
Lifeline – Toggle into transport mode, allowing an ally to be towed. Increases movement speed and heals your ally.
Frenetic Flight – Accelerate in your movement direction. Fuel recovery is slower while carrying another player.
Purr – Pulsing area heal that increases in frequency over time. Knockback nearby enemies when activated.
Ultimate — Catnapper – Dive towards a ground location, knocking down enemies and tethering the nearest one to you.
Passive – Jetpack – Permanent flight.

New Role Sub-Roles & Passives

Season 1 will introduce updates to the core roles in the game, dividing Tanks, Damage, and Support heroes in sub-roles.

Here’s the breakdown:

TANK

BRUISER: Reduces critical damage received. While at critical health, gain movement speed.
- Mauga / Orisa / Roadhog / Zarya
INITIATOR: Staying airborne lightly heals you.
- D.Va / Doomfist / Winston / Wrecking Ball
STALWART: Reduces knockbacks and slows received.
- Domina / Hazard / Junker Queen / Ramattra / Reinhardt / Sigma

DAMAGE

SHARPSHOOTER: Critical hits reduce your movement ability cooldowns.
- Ashe / Cassidy / Hanzo / Sojourn / Widowmaker
FLANKER: Health packs restore more health.
- Anran / Genji / Reaper / Tracer / Vendetta / Venture
SPECIALIST: Eliminating an enemy briefly increases your reload speed.
- Bastion / Emre / Junkrat / Mei / Soldier: 76 / Symmetra / Torbjorn
RECON: You detect enemies below half health through walls after damaging them.
- Echo / Freja / Pharah / Sombra

SUPPORT

TACTICIAN: You can gain excess ultimate charge, which carries over after using your ultimate ability.
- Ana / Baptiste / Jetpack Cat / Lucio / Zenyatta
MEDIC: Healing allies with your weapon also heals you.
- Kiriko / Lifeweaver / Mercy / Moira
SURVIVOR: Using a movement ability activates passive health regeneration.
- Brigitte / Illari / Juno / Mizuki / Wuyang

Conquest Meta Event

Season 1 will introduce Conquest, a five-part meta event that lets players choose a side in the battle between Talon and Overwatch.

Players can complete missions tied to lore, and the side with the most successful missions will earn rewards. You also have the option to switch sides after completing your current week’s objectives.

75 Base Lootboxes
12 Epic Lootboxes
7 Legendary Lootboxes
9 new Voice Lines
31 2D Cosmetics
2 Weapon Charms
1 of 2 faction-themed Legendary Echo skins
Exclusive new Rare, Epic and Legendary titles (and a secret hidden one!)

Competitive Year Updates

It will be a new competitive year when Season 1 arrives, and that means there will be a competitive reset that will introduce the Crimson Wolf competitive weapon skins as a tribe to Talon’s new leader.

For the players who reach diamond level, you will receive a new Doomfist competitive skin.

Competitive titles will also now have a rarity applied, and the top 500 players will earn dynamic titles for their finishes.

UI/UX Refresh

After 10 years, the Overwatch devs decided it was time to refresh the UI/UX, giving it some more personality and hero-centric vibes.

Per Biizzard:

This update includes the lobby, play cards, navigation, hero gallery, and social panel. A Notification Hub will consolidate important updates. Season 1 will feature a new 3D lobby with the selected hero displayed, and Season 4 will expand this to include all group members.

There are plenty of other updates coming to Overwatch; you can read about them by heading here.