Blizzard Entertainment lit up the internet this morning with a 10-second glimpse of Overwatch‘s newest “champion,” coming soon to the first-person shooter… or should we say, first-hamster shooter? (Editor’s note:Â We should not.)
The champion revealed. pic.twitter.com/0Fdpg2iBcs
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 28, 2018
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.
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 28, 2018
One Redditor actually figured out, 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 Park‘s John Hammond. And Blizzard isn’t quite denying it.
Jeff finds a way.
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 28, 2018
A few hours later, Blizzard officially announced the new hero: Wrecking Ball.
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.)
Introducing Wrecking Ball—a resourceful tinkerer that fights with an iron-clad mech.
Learn more @ https://t.co/0S7Ac8su9n pic.twitter.com/0Zi5QA8mZv
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 28, 2018
Hammond will play a tank role 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
More on Overwatch
- This Overwatch cosplayer brought Doomfist’s gauntlet to life
- More Overwatch Funkos are on the way!
- A look back on the Overwatch League’s inaugural season
