Returning Player Catch-Up

Before you jump into Season 1, here's a quick mission debrief to get you up to speed if that vacation away from Overwatch ended up lasting longer than Ana's retirement in Fiji.

• New Heroes: Season 1 includes five new Heroes to get acquainted with, but it's important to meet other Heroes who've joined the Overwatch roster over the past few years. Here are a few introductions; check out the full Hero List to read up on any unfamiliar faces.
  • Illari, the lone survivor of the Inti Warriors, who knows the weight her solar powers hold: the potential to heal as much as they destroy.
  • Mauga, an impulsive and fearless Talon agent that uses his bulky build and incendiary chainguns to shield teammates and decimate enemies.
  • Venture, a jovial archaeologist bravely chasing adventure and ancient secrets. Their sneaky moves and powerful drill weapon offer devastating damage.
  • Juno, an airborne Hero from Mars seeking a lifeline for her family and home planet. Always ready to help, her space-age tech grants healing and speed to allies.
  • Hazard, member of the underground Phreakz gang, emboldened to fight injustice with stolen Oasis tech. The only thing wilder than his tanky, mobile kit is his personality!
  • Freja, a former Overwatch agent turned bounty hunter who knows better than to ask too many questions. Her high-skill crossbow shots and aerial movement make her a true threat on the battlefield.
  • Wuyang, a Water College student trying to find his place in a changing world. His torrential abilities lend themselves to fluid movement, intense healing, and powerful damage.
  • Vendetta-champion of the Colosseo-is determined to take back Talon's seat of power, a position she believes is her birthright. Watch out for her high-mobility, high-damage sword attacks…and her thirst for vengeance.
• Perks: Shift the tide of battle in your favor by equipping Perks during a match. These Hero-specific boons offer ways to upgrade your kit according to your playstyle and the demands of the current battle. You'll first select between two Minor Perks, which subtly shift your Hero's kit in a different direction. Later on, you'll select one of two Major Perks; these bolder upgrades can add game-changing abilities or buffs that counter the enemies in front of you.
• Stadium: Looking to supercharge your Heroes? Try Stadium! Upgrade your Hero using game-changing Powers and add buffs with Items, all purchased with Stadium Cash you earn by making a difference for your team. Customize your game plan, cater to your skills, or expertly counter your enemies by crafting the perfect Build. Stadium includes a new map mode-Payload Race-and several maps not available anywhere else in Overwatch, like Wuxing University and Powder Keg Mine. More Heroes are added to Stadium every season!

JPC, Domina, Emre, Anran, Mizuki

Five New Heroes Launching in Season 1

Season 1 introduces the first five new Heroes of the year: Domina, Emre, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat. Each Hero will play a key role in the narrative as The Reign of Talon unfolds.

As the story kicks off, Vendetta is strengthening her forces with three new allies:

DOMINA (Tank)

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.

Using advanced Vishkar technology, Domina is the first true poke tank since Sigma-an elegant long-range controller with deadly zone dominance.

• 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 denotate 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)

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.

Now aligned with Vendetta, Emre brings a fast-paced, run-and-gun damage style.

• 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)

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.

• 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.

Overwatch is standing against Talon with two new members:

ANRAN (Damage)

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.

• 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 is available early via a Hero Trial beginning February 5.

JETPACK CAT (Support)

Yup. Jetpack Cat is finally joining the lineup.

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.

• 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.

Stalwart Tank Sub-Role

New Sub-Roles and Passives

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

Conquest Meta Event

Season 1 includes Conquest, a five-week meta event where players choose to fight for either Overwatch or Talon. Each week, you will complete missions tied to the lore, with rewards going to the faction with the most successful missions. You can switch your allegiance once completing your current week's faction pass, making every choice matter as you seek to claim the following rewards:

• 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!)

Crimson Wolf Competitive Weapon - Ashe

Competitive Year Update

Season 1 marks the start of a new competitive year! This means a competitive reset as well as the new Crimson Wolf competitive weapon, to honor Talon's new leader. We're also giving those who reach Diamond or higher a new Doomfist competitive skin.

Competitive titles will now have rarity applied, and Top 500 players will earn dynamic titles for their finishes. Titles from Season 20 and Season 1 will be granted when the title update goes live in Season 2.*

*In the 2026 Overwatch Spotlight video, we said these are live at Season 1 launch but wanted to give our team a bit more time to polish this feature.

Lobby Refresh

UI/UX Refresh

A large UI/UX Refresh is coming in Season 1! After 10 years, the menus felt a bit dated, and our hope is that this helps restore some personality and hero-centric vibes while in-game.

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.

We hope you all love the new look and ease of navigation (biggest challenge is getting used to the PLAY button at the top of the screen). And be sure to share your thoughts and feedback as we're planning even more updates and improvements in the future.

Post-Match Accolades, future Season

Systems Updates

Alongside gameplay and navigation, new features have always been some of the most impactful updates we've made to Overwatch. This year, we want to dial in the sense of joy and positivity that is at the center of the Overwatch Universe.

When Season 1 launches, we're unveiling a Praise feature, allowing players to use Hero VO lines to provide positive feedback. The team has actually been recording these lines for all of our Heroes for over 10 years, but we've never found a way to utilize them that has felt quite right to us. And we're really excited about what this subtle addition can mean for gameplay interactions.

Another new feature is additional sound/music control settings while in lobby! Now when you're playing Overwatch on your second monitor, you will be able to listen in on work meetings without having to turn your OW audio down. Not that anyone on our team has ever done that.

Later this year, we are reviving an often-requested feature: Post-Match Accolades. Unlike the former cards, this new system will use full 3D Hero models. New types of recognition will highlight key moments, including multi-endorsements and Heroic Endorsements.

And in Season 2, we are coming to the Nintendo Switch™ 2!

Over the rest of the year, expect upgrades to map voting, hero bans, Drives, and more!

Vendetta in Stadium

Stadium

The Reign of Talon transcends all of Overwatch, including Stadium, so of course we have to introduce Vendetta herself to the lineup! We're also changing up the pace of Competitive Stadium: Power rounds now run 1/2/4/6, delivering a faster, best-of-seven style flow while still letting builds evolve across a full match.

We'll be bringing the UI refresh to the Armory, seeing all 70 icons fully redone to better match the fantasy of each item. For example, the Aerial Distresser will now look like a flying drone, while Amari's Antidote is clearly an injector. This should make it much easier to find exactly what you are looking for at a glance.

Possibly the biggest change we've introduced to Stadium since launching last year is the new Hero Builder. The team is designing the Hero Builder as a way to give you greater agency and ease in crafting the best possible builds to match your playstyle. It'll provide recommended builds based on player data worldwide, letting you see what other players are using.

This will be presented in two forms:

• And the second on rounds 2-7: you'll see an option to continue your current build but will also see recommendations to help you counter the enemy team!

• The first is on round one: you will now see three options for popular builds on your chosen Hero. These starter packs combine a power with three items in a single click, making things much more streamlined.

Mythic Mercy

Collabs, and Mythics, and Skins...Oh My!

From February 10-23, Overwatch teams up with Hello Kitty and Friends to deliver a feel-good crossover that brings the beloved characters into the middle of Overwatch's fight for the future.

Overwatch x Hello Kitty and Friends introduces six new themed Hero skins:

• Always ready to help, kindness meets courage and looks cute doing it when Juno steps in as Hello Kitty.

• Light on her feet and sweet as ever, Kiriko floats through as Cinnamoroll.

• Bringing comfort, care, and cozy charm to every clutch save, Mercy suits up as Pompompurin.

• Confident and ready to shine with playful superstar energy, D.Va drops in as My Melody.

• Sweet on the surface, sharp underneath, Kuromi's mischievous edge pairs perfectly with Widowmaker's cool precision.

• Fast beats, big smiles, and nonstop good vibes flow freely! Lucio hops into action as Keroppi.

Skins have always been a hot topic for Overwatch, and our artists have been heating things up this year (not an Anran reference). Tied to The Reign of Talon, Season 1 will have faction-themed skins, in addition to new bundles themed after vibes like rainy days and the sweetness of Valentines Day.

We are also refreshing the Lootbox pool with all regular shop skins from the last six seasons!

Next up, Mythic Skins! Every season this year will bring two new Mythic Hero Skins.

• Mid-season will include Mei's first Mythic.

• Future seasons will add Mythics for Soldier: 76, Illari, and Mauga, as well as Mythic Weapon Skins for Genji, Hanzo, and Sojourn.

• Season 1 introduces Mercy's Celestial Guardian and Juno's Star Shooter.

Overwatch Esports

Esports

Overwatch Esports is looking to have another amazing year with several things coming your way.

First up, the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) begins this weekend with a Bootcamp in Seoul before the full season launches with Opening Weekend on March 21 before ultimately concluding with a World Finals in China!

Then the glory of the Overwatch World Cup returns. Watch countries around the world battle it out in regional qualifiers before the main event at BlizzCon in September.

Earn your favorite historic Overwatch Esports Skins through the new Esports Lootbox! Tune into select Esports broadcasts, like Bootcamp on February 13-15.

And interested in your shot for the OWCS Crown? Registration for this year's Open Qualifiers are live until February 20. But that's not all for those competitive minded of you: In-game, we're also expanding how you can take part in competitive events. Overwatch Esports is integrating with Top 500, awarding invitations to FaceIt events based on Challenger scores.