The next ‘Overwatch’ hero is a hamster in a gun-blazing robot

By Gabe Gurwin Published June 28, 2018

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Blizzard recently began teasing the next hero in its multiplayer shooter Overwatch with short videos, and all signs pointed to it being Hammond, a small ape who escaped from the Horizon Lunar Colony along with current hero Winston. What Blizzard actually revealed, however, has us thinking that Hammond was never an ape at all.

In a Twitter video titled “Champion Revealed,” Blizzard showed a spider-like robot unload on an enemy with massive turrets. After a few seconds, the top popped open and out came an adorable hamster.

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Previous teasers have shown the hamster rolling at high speed with the robot’s legs folded in. If this ability is used in the game, it could allow the little rodent to quickly get into position and defend a payload

The name “Hammond” is not mentioned in the teaser video, but we’re almost 100 percent sure that this is Hammond, rather than a hypothetical baby ape. We had assumed he was an ape due to Winston escaping from the same facility, but the name does fit a hamster more than a giant intelligent primate.

As the hamster only giggles in the teaser, it’s unclear if he’ll be able to talk to other characters or will instead squeak or chirp. Bastion is non-verbal, using different beeps to communicate, but we wouldn’t be opposed to the hamster speaking English.

This hero certainly sounds like an idea out of left field, but there is kind of some precedent for it — just not from where you’d expect. In a “Mean Tweets” Jimmy Kimmel Live segment from 2015, Tobey Maguire was told he was actually just a “hamster in a robot.” Perhaps a member of the Overwatch team thought the insult was funny … or it could be a random coincidence that we just happened to notice.

This week Overwatch also added its “endorsements” and “looking for group” features, which are designed to make building teams an easier and less toxic experience. Being endorsed by other players on a consistent basis will result in you getting extra rewards, and there are several different categories for which other players can commend you.

Overwatch is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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