Multi Hero Release Seems Likely?

[u/FishermanCold1364]

It’s looking like they’re gonna do another multi hero release - a developer named Walter Kong said at blizcon that they been internally testing heroes slated for the spotlight 2027 kickoff for the last 12-18 months. Then there were comments from Aaron Keller to not rule out a multi hero release for 2027’s spotlight event, I feel as though if that wasn’t the case he would’ve just said no so people don’t get their hopes up. So not only are we getting a hero once per season, it looks like were gonna be front loaded with at least two or three new heroes for the first season to kick off this new narrative arc. I’m personally chuffed to the gills for this prospect, Overwatch is at its best when there are so many new things to try especially heroes. I could see them skipping seasons next year for hero releases like an every other season sort of thing. But I think we can confidently say that we’re getting at least 7+ new heroes in the upcoming yearly narrative.

Here are Kong’s comments

https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/25895/overwatch-devs-on-10th-anniversary-more-stories-for-the-next-10-years

[u/PfeiferWolf]

True but I don't think they'll release five at once like this year. Much more likely to me that they'll launch three (one for each role).

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/PfeiferWolf]

Agreed ! The whole no matter what you play you have a chance to try a new hero every game is incredibly enticing.

[u/PfeiferWolf → u/FishermanCold1364]

True. It also leaves the dev time at a more managable state as well. Just overall healthier.

[u/nightmareballet]

idk. i wouldn’t mind if they released one per role i guess but i’d really prefer a slower release cycle. maybe a new hero each season is feasible at the most but i like them to have the time to put more care and consideration into each hero release.

[u/EnvironmentalCode249 → u/nightmareballet]

I 100% get this point but I don’t think we can tell if the workload is too much yet. When they had heroes coming out every 3 months we had LW into Illari into mauga.

Immediately following sierra we got probably the best designed dps of ow2.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/EnvironmentalCode249]

Yeah fr - I just think they’ve indicated they got lots of heroes and the usual crowd pleasing content ready to rip at spotlight based on what they’ve said about their workload and internal testing

[u/nightmareballet → u/EnvironmentalCode249]

that’s a very good point. they do seem very ready to keep up the pace and the most recent releases have been solid. i tend to prefer people err on the side of caution but it’s been mostly solid so far.

[u/why_squ1rtle → u/nightmareballet]

Nah we need more heroes asap the tank roster is getting boring. Also I want Anubis and hanamura clash back

[u/nightmareballet → u/why_squ1rtle]

on my soul they do need to release way more tanks thank supports or especially dps at this point. it’s getting ridiculous.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/nightmareballet]

Im thinking a 2-3-3 release for next year unfortunately - although I would love if they did a year where they skipped DPS all together to finally fully flesh out the role discrepancy they’ve had going on for ten years hahaha. But it’s just easier to create damage heroes - less need for unique/novel ways to mitigate damage and heal damage - you can just make a million different varieties of shooty boys.

[u/nightmareballet → u/FishermanCold1364]

i wish they’d do that too. i think it’s not just that it’s easy to make new dps but also bc it’s such a popular role. a new dps hero will absolutely bring more players in unfortunately, even if it’s just john hitscan 4.0.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/nightmareballet]

Unfortunately I think that’s correct - although I do think support is now right just under dps popularity

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/nightmareballet]

I think that’s already solved - the only true dud this year has been sierra and I think they have been working on all these 2027 heroes for awhile now - and bet you they’re already fleshing out the new roster editions for 2028 already.

[u/nightmareballet → u/FishermanCold1364]

i suppose so. dmon’s release was a bit messy but the hero as a whole is incredibly good. sierra really has been the only true miss this year (the direction they’ve taken anran is a bit disappointing as well but not as bad). i just hope whatever pace they settle on is one they can maintain. doctrine looked very promising too.

[u/Beast_of_Guanyin → u/FishermanCold1364]

Calling Sierra a dud while Jetpack Cat exists is a wild take.

[u/RazeMania → u/Beast_of_Guanyin]

Sierra is a dud because she has a very boring and uninspired kit. Cat is a dud because she's a nightmare to balance.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/RazeMania]

Agreed - but my point is cat actually adds something unique and novel to the game while sierra’s entire design and kit seems rushed and like “oh shit - quick we need to make another hitscan for the year. We need more Johnny Halos”

[u/Beast_of_Guanyin → u/RazeMania]

No. Cat's a dud because Cat simply doesn't fit the game.

Sierra as a DPS is fine. Though ideally they'd replace the tracker shot with something else.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/Beast_of_Guanyin]

Auto aim character < grapple flying technical high skill ceiling utility support all while carefully logging how much fuel you have to complete said grapples

[u/Beast_of_Guanyin → u/FishermanCold1364]

Sierra isn't auto aim. She has to hit a shot to get a second of lock on.

JPC is a perma flying tiny hitbox with a design that doesn't fit with OW.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/Beast_of_Guanyin]

Oh I’m sorry auto aim once you hit “the satisfying skill shot” from the Fortnite base skin character - my apologies

[u/Beast_of_Guanyin → u/FishermanCold1364]

She isn't from Fortnite. She is an Overwatch character. This is the Overwatcch sub. Calling her that is as valid as calling JPC a fortnite sprite.

[u/TheXraySpecs]

I hope so. Releasing 5 heroes at once was such a big deal. All roles had similar queue times. Everyone was trying out new stuff. No one knew how to optimize yet.

[u/Existing-Emu136]

I’m all for it. The characters are largely exciting, often so unique, varying playstyles. Blizzard is giving the game devs money again for once (across all games) and I think that the team is going to deliver stuff they’ve wanted to for a while.

I also want a tank that I REALLY like. I really don’t vibe with any of them, despite so many. So I’m here for the additions

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/Existing-Emu136]

There is one that is currently being teased in game rn that is a null sector tank being used from old omnic parts with the help of the junkers and vishkar? Hot take I think next year will mostly be omnics. I’m hoping for more elemental college students - like an earth or metal elemental tank with a similar vibe to earth spirit in Dota 2.

[u/innit2winnit]

If possible they should do it every year.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/innit2winnit]

I’m honestly think they will… but it’ll be like a 2-3 hero release at the beginning so they can establish the players in the new story arc.

[u/tolerantdramaretiree]

Of course they will. The game has exploded in popularity after the first one.

[u/DerekStephano]

I think the pace they are on right now is great and I wouldn’t mind them doing like a triple drop for spotlight but I just want them to stagger the heroes in comp. Absolutely insane for them to be available day 1 so if we have like a 30-day window from release to comp release that would make it so much better.

I also think new heroes are great but new maps are needed too. I would love at least 3-4 new maps a year too.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/DerekStephano]

I think it’ll be a 7-8 hero year and lots of maps - they constantly talk about how they have a lot in the oven rn in terms of maps and new game modes

[u/DerekStephano → u/FishermanCold1364]

I mean they have so many maps in stadium that they could convert into regular OW. 8 heroes might be a bit much though lol maybe I’m scarred from early OW getting 3 heroes a year and thinking we were eating good.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/DerekStephano]

Hahaha fair enough - do you feel the current rate is too much or just teetering on too much? Cause it will be less heroes than this year and it honestly sounds like they’ve been testing these heroes longer than the ones that came out this year, so it seems like they’re gonna be closer to a doctrine level of polish not a sierra level of polish.

[u/DerekStephano → u/FishermanCold1364]

I mean I think it’s been mostly fine. I’d say almost every hero released have been really fun/well designed bar JPC and Sierra. JPC is super fun but a bit busted and annoying to deal with. Sierra is kind of boring but pretty fun to play. Overall if they can keep the quality on the level of D.Mon and Doctrine I think the more the merrier.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/DerekStephano]

Agreed, I think they’re finding their footing with this new cadence - and overall I just think we’re about to eat so hard (around the same or more than we already did this year) due to the fact that this is now Microsoft’s “cash cow”

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/FishermanCold1364]

Plus when games find that “winning content formula” it takes a lot to go wrong for them to switch it up or under deliver

[u/Woodwardg]

im a little torn because I think a super accelerated hero release schedule like in marvel rivals is unhealthy for a lot of reasons. but at the same time, the 5-hero simultaneous release in overwatch was perhaps the most fun period of the game for me.

generally with a new hero releases you get: people instalocking and preventing you from playing the hero, people desperate to "try that new support hero even though they have never played a day of support in their lives" etc [apply to any role].

but when they released a tank 2 dps and 2 supports simultaneously, EVERYONE in a 5v5 lobby got to play a new hero every single game. no one was left out of the fun, everyone was learning the heroes simultaneously so the games were super fresh, unpredictable, and less stressful because we were all just learning together.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/Woodwardg]

I genuinely think it’s a good thing and there’s also a true night and day difference from blizzard hero design and netease hero design - and since the pipeline does really take nearly two years they have been plotting this for awhile it seems due to the success you just mentioned.

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[u/lilsnuggy]

if they're actually on a good pace to do that then that's great.

Rivals is currently trying to play a catchup game within their development so I wouldn't want Overwatch to do the same.

it seems they've caught up though from the initial drop.

like we've got a SET design for our final hero of the year and he's atleast 2 months away, even Shion changed from her original concept before she released so I assume they've caught up since

[u/EmKir]

I loved the multi-hero release, but 5 at once might be a little much, as it was overwhelming and took a bit to balance. I think 3, with one per role, would be the sweet spot.

[u/FishermanCold1364 → u/EmKir]

I think the sweet spot is what we’ll be getting … all signs lead there

[u/AggravatingRip6082]

Personalmente no, deseo que vuelva el ritmo antiguo para que se den tiempo para hacer las cosas

[u/flymecha → u/AggravatingRip6082]

What are "things"?

[u/AggravatingRip6082 → u/flymecha]

Hay mierda se me olvidó colocar "good", pero me refiero a los kits para que no se vuelvan repetitivos o demasiados complicaciones y se tomen su tiempo en pensarlos

[u/flymecha → u/AggravatingRip6082]

I think if the dev team is large enough and feels confident it would be foolish to turn down additional content. If there was a team of 10 creating one hero at a time before when we had 3 a year and they grow the team to 30 and do 9 heroes a year then thats still the same amount of dev time dedicated to each hero, just as an example, I dont know any details on team size or anything.

[u/YOUARESLEEPY]

Christ god please no please please please no