Games

OVERWATCH Reveals Its Newest Champion: A Hamster!

by Kelly Knox
Jun 28 2018 • 9:20 AM

Blizzard Entertainment lit up the internet this morning with a 10-second glimpse of OverwatchOpens in a new tab‘s newest “champion,” coming soon to the first-person shooter… or should we say, first-hamster shooter? (Editor’s note: We should not.)

Players were abuzz with speculation. Was this a joke? Why was it announced as a new champion and not a new hero? And why is it a hamster? Blizzard played it coy.

One Redditor actually figured outOpens in a new tab, examining the game’s lore and various clues to uncover the new character’s identity. In fact, they guessed it yesterday, a full day before the character made their cute debut. “Blizzard has done a great job keeping Hammond’s identity a secret, but I’ve figured it out. […] My logic is solid. The evidence is undeniable. Hammond is… A HAMSTER,” they wrote on June 27. “Like seriously, what is the perfect name for a hamster? Hammond.”

Their fellow Redditors pounced on the name, declaring it as an homage to Jurassic ParkOpens in a new tab‘s John Hammond. And Blizzard isn’t quite denying it.

A few hours later, Blizzard officially announced the new hero: Wrecking Ball.

Opens in a new tab

Wrecking Ball, AKA Hammond, comes from the same experiments that brought the world Winston. Don’t worry, though, there’s not a sad origin story in this hamster’s history. (Not yet, anyway.)

Hammond will play a tank roleOpens in a new tab when you select him in your match. You can take him for a spin now on Overwatch’s public test server.

What do you think about Blizzard’s big reveal? Tell us in the comments.

All Images: Blizzard Entertainment

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