I Played Overwatch’s 5 New Heroes: Everything You Need to Know (And Which Five Are Next in 2026)

Blizzard has revealed its plans for the next year of Overwatch during a recent event. They announced a greater emphasis on storytelling and background lore, along with updates to cosmetics, game balance, and competitive play. The biggest news is that, starting with Season 1 on February 10th, Overwatch will launch five new playable heroes simultaneously – more than they’ve added in the past fourteen months. That’s enough heroes to fill an entire team in the game’s 5v5 format.

Before the official reveal of the new Overwatch content, ComicBook visited Blizzard Entertainment and got an early look at the new heroes. We played as them and learned about their gameplay, how they were created, and how they connect to the game’s overall story. These additions will significantly change Overwatch, both in how it plays and the characters players enjoy.

7) Overwatch Is Adding Subclasses to All Roles

Before we dive into the new heroes coming to Overwatch, it’s important to know that starting with Season 1 in 2026, the game will be adding subclasses within each of its three roles (Tank, Damage, and Support). These subclasses will replace some of the existing universal passive abilities, and will give players unique benefits based on their chosen playstyle. Here’s a look at how they’ll work:

As a Tank player, I’ve noticed a few different styles emerging. There are the Bruisers – they’re really good at taking less damage when someone lands a critical hit, and they get a speed boost when they’re low on health. Mauga, Orisa, Roadhog, and Zarya fit this mold. Then you’ve got the Initiators – these Tanks actually gain a little health while they’re in the air, which is awesome for diving in! D.Va, Doomfist, Winston, and Wrecking Ball are perfect examples. Finally, there are the Stalwarts. These guys are super solid and take less knockback and slowdown effects, making them really hard to move around. Hazard, Junker Queen, Ramattra, Reinhardt, Sigma, and Domina are all Stalwart Tanks.

Here’s a breakdown of the Support hero types:

Tactician: These Supports can build up extra ultimate charge, and any excess carries over even after they use their ultimate. Examples include Ana, Baptiste, Jetpack Cat, Lucio, and Zenyatta.

Medic: These Supports heal themselves when they heal their allies with their weapon. Kiriko, Lifeweaver, Mercy, and Moira fall into this category.

Survivor: These Supports start regenerating health automatically after using a movement ability. Brigitte, Illari, Juno, Mizuki, and Wuyang are all Survivor-type Supports.

Here’s a breakdown of damage-role hero abilities:

Sharpshooter: Landing critical hits reduces the cooldown time of your movement abilities. Heroes in this category are Ashe, Cassidy, Hanzo, Sojourn, and Widowmaker.

Flanker: Picking up health packs will restore significantly more health. This applies to heroes like Anran, Genji, Reaper, Tracer, Vendetta, and Venture.

Specialist: When you eliminate an enemy, your reload speed is briefly increased. Heroes who benefit from this include Bastion, Emre, Junkrat, Mei, Soldier: 76, Symmetra, and Torbjorn.

Recon: After damaging an enemy, you’ll be able to detect enemies with less than half health, even through walls. This ability is available to Echo, Freja, Pharah, and Sombra.

6) Domina Becomes the Stylish New Poke Tank

Domina is a durable character, often called a ‘poke tank,’ who uses a special weapon called the Photon Magnum. This gun fires a beam at medium range, building up to a powerful final shot – similar to Symmetra’s beam, but with a delayed, strong burst instead of constant damage. Her Barrier Array shield is also unique; it’s made up of separate segments that enemies can destroy one by one. Domina’s Crystal Charge ability sends out an explosive crystal that can be detonated either when it hits something or with a separate button press.

This tank hero features a unique ability called “Boop,” officially known as Sonic Repulsors, which pushes enemies and can even stun them if they collide with a wall – or send them falling off the map! Her ultimate, Panopticon, fires a line of hard-light projectiles that trap opponents. They can escape by shooting the projectiles, but if they don’t, the trap explodes. Additionally, Domina has a passive ability called “Reconstruction” that replenishes her shield whenever she damages enemies with her other abilities. Players who enjoy Sigma will likely enjoy Domina, as she’s a new tank character with a versatile and distinct skillset.

Domina is a character in Overwatch with a unique style – she’s a fashionable vice president at Vishkar Industries. What sets her apart, especially among tank characters, is her focus on appearance and keeping things clean. She relies heavily on her robotic arms to do almost everything, including a distinctive reloading animation where her right arm reloads the weapon from above. Taj Atwal voices the character.

As a new hero, Domina is already linked to Symmetra, Lifeweaver, and Lucio, so I’m expecting some really cool interactions with them. The narrative lead, Miranda Moyer, hinted that Domina has a special animal interaction that’s hilarious – she specifically said it’s her favorite, and we definitely need to listen out for it when she drops!

5) Emre Delivers Classic Shooter Gameplay to DPS

Emre is designed to be easy for players of other first-person shooters to pick up and play in Overwatch. His main weapon, the Synthetic Burst Rifle, fires in three-round bursts and has a zoom function that doesn’t slow him down – unlike some other characters. He also carries the Siphon Blaster, a pistol that fires explosive rounds which heal him while boosting his speed and jump height. Adding to his kit are two Cyber Frags, bouncing explosives that can stick to surfaces. After playing as Emre, it feels like going back to classic shooters like Halo 2, using a Battle Rifle and Pistol. He’s smooth, quick, and enjoyable to play.

Emra truly stands out with his Ultimate ability, Override Protocol, which turns him into a powerful weapon. He launches into the air and fires rapid explosive blasts or powerful, charged shots that can potentially eliminate the entire enemy team. He also has a special passive ability, Altered Vitals, that allows him to regenerate health faster than other heroes and instantly restores 30 health when triggered.

Emre is a long-standing figure in the world of Overwatch. As established in the “Search & Destroy” story and hinted at throughout the game’s history, he was an original member of the Overwatch team, fighting alongside heroes like Reinhardt and Soldier: 76. He left Overwatch after a mission went wrong and civilians were harmed, eventually discovering that Reaper was responsible for the events that led to those deaths. Voice actor Kerem Erdinc describes Emre as ‘one of the old guard.’

What happened between Emre and the present remains unknown, but the game will likely reveal the details. It’s now clear something has possessed Emre’s body, and Overwatch characters are calling it one of the powerful “God programs” previously mentioned in Sombra’s backstory – fans may recognize the associated “Eye” symbol. While Emre is currently aligned with Talon, it’s uncertain whether he’s acting of his own free will.

Erdinc described the character as being in a vulnerable state. He explained that the character is rediscovering what it feels like to have control over his own life, which was a fascinating challenge for the actor, as the character had been stripped of all agency for a decade.

You know, when I was thinking about how to play the character, I kept imagining what it would be like to meet someone after ten years of complete silence – like, ten years where you have absolutely no control over your own life, but you’re fully aware of it. The comic actually shows he still has his memories, so he’s not a total amnesiac. I really focused on how he’d try to readjust to normal life after that, and that’s how I approached the role.

4) Mizuki Puts a Spin on Support

Mizuki is a new support hero in Overwatch who excels at close-range healing and team fights. His special ability, Remedy Aura, provides area-of-effect healing that increases as enemies take damage and as you heal allies. He’s unique because his healing creates a visible ring, similar to Lucio’s. Mizuki’s primary weapon, Spirit Glaive, is a spinning blade that bounces off walls to damage opponents. He also has Binding Chain, a projectile that can knock enemies out of the air and briefly stun them – it’s particularly effective against heroes like Pharah, Echo, and Mercy, potentially setting them up for a quick elimination.

Mizuki has a unique kit focused on support and mobility. He throws his Healing Kasa (hat) which bounces between teammates, providing them with extra healing and healing him when it returns. His Katashiro Return ability lets him leave a paper doll behind and quickly dash forward. He can then reactivate the ability to teleport back to the doll’s location, which can be used to confuse opponents, though the doll clearly marks his return point. Finally, Mizuki’s ultimate, Kekkai Sanctuary, creates a zone that absorbs enemy attacks and heals allies inside. Enemies can enter the zone, but they’ll be fighting a team that’s actively being healed.

During the playtest, Mizuki proved to be the most enjoyable support hero, surprisingly offering strong offensive abilities alongside innovative healing. Adding to his appeal, his personality is brilliantly brought to life by Julian Cihi (known from Only Murders in the Building and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off), who delivers a uniquely dry and witty performance that makes him memorable among all the heroes.

Mizuki’s backstory connects to existing Overwatch lore in two important ways. First, he’s part of the Yokai, the group Kiriko belongs to in Kanezaka – his spirit animal is a Kappa, and he’s appeared in previous Kiriko stories. Second, Mizuki is secretly a double agent working for the Hashimoto clan, who are enemies of the Yokai. Despite this, developers describe Mizuki as a genuinely good person who was forced to work with the Hashimoto clan against his will. He does have a positive influence in his life, though: Toshiro Yamagami, Kiriko’s father, who fans will recognize.

According to lead narrative designer Joshi Zhang, when Season 1 launched, Hanzo was sent to observe Kiriko’s group and eliminate them if necessary. However, he hasn’t acted on those orders. Now that he’s free from the control of the Hashimoto clan, he’s experiencing freedom for the first time and questioning who he wants to be. Being around Kiriko and her friends – good people dedicated to protecting their community – is having a significant impact on him.

He’s torn between the kindness he’s experiencing now and the difficult, even criminal, life he grew up with. He’s wrestling with these conflicting forces as he tries to figure out his own path and ultimately decide what his future will be.

Now that Mizuki is available, players can create a full team of villains, something that hasn’t been possible for a long time since Moira was the only healer connected to the Talon organization.

3) Anran Becomes First Hero With Two Ultimates

Anran is a damage-dealing character who uses fire, contrasting with her brother Wuyang. She wields Zhuque Fans that can shoot fireballs or create blasts of hot wind, increasing burn damage on enemies. As a quick and agile fighter, Anran excels at flanking opponents and quickly setting them ablaze.

Anran introduces a new gameplay feature: a bar appears above enemy players when she attacks them. This bar shows how close they are to being set on fire. Once the bar fills, enemies will start burning, indicated by a fire icon. Anran’s secondary fire can extend the burn duration. In our testing, players enjoyed trying out all the new characters, and we’re excited to see how experienced Overwatch players will use Anran alongside allies like Mauga and Ashe to keep enemies burning for longer.

Anran can quickly move around the battlefield with two key abilities. Inferno Rush lets her dash forward, damaging opponents in her path. Dancing Blaze allows her to rapidly attack enemies while dodging incoming damage. After using Dancing Blaze, she returns to her original location, but players can use the initial activation movement to reposition and surprise the enemy team.

Anran is unique because she’s the only hero with two different ultimate abilities. Her main ultimate, Vermillion Ascent, lets her charge forward and explode, instantly dealing significant damage to enemies. But she also has a special ability tied to her ultimate: if you die while her ultimate is charged, she automatically revives as Vermillion Revival, exploding back onto the battlefield. This can be tricky to master – it’s easy to focus on using her primary fire and maintaining flames on enemies, and then forget you can reactivate your ultimate even after dying. Fortunately, she’s quite fast and can often avoid being eliminated in the first place.

I’m so excited about Anran! It’s cool to learn she’s Wuyang’s sister – that makes her the second set of siblings in Overwatch, following Genji and Hanzo. And get this – she’s voiced by Fareeha Anderson, a voice actor many of us longtime fans already know and love! Apparently, Anran’s family sees her as the ‘golden child,’ which explains why she holds herself and her teammates – especially Wuyang – to such a high standard. It really adds a lot to her character, I think!

The game already includes interactions between the five new characters. For example, there’s a scene where Anran sneezes, initially thinking it’s allergies, but then discovers Jetpack Cat is the cause of her reaction.

Anderson was shocked when they learned about Jetpack Cat. They hadn’t realized they’d recorded a line with the character, as the temporary label listed the name as Winston.

2) Jetpack Cat Finally Flies Into the Game

After being hinted at for nearly a decade and becoming a popular joke among Overwatch players, Jetpack Cat is finally joining the game as a hero who is always airborne. While other heroes like Pharah and Echo have limited flight, Jetpack Cat remains in the air constantly, though a special ability called Frenetic Flight can significantly boost her aerial movement using a rechargeable meter. Her main attack, ‘Biotic Pawjectiles,’ can both heal teammates and damage opponents – and they’re cleverly designed to look like cat paws! Jetpack Cat also has an ability called “Purr,” which creates a growing area of healing that also pushes enemies away. She’s designed to be a playful support character, but may require some adjustments after release to fully balance her power.

Jetpack Cat isn’t just about moving around and healing; she has a powerful ability that Overwatch players will likely find incredibly useful, and it might be her best one. She can launch a tow cable that allies can grab onto, boosting Jetpack Cat’s speed and providing healing to the connected teammate. The Overwatch team has also confirmed there are currently no restrictions on what Jetpack Cat can lift with her cable – meaning she can carry allies like Bob, an ulting Orissa or Cassidy, or even a D.Va bomb, repositioning them on the battlefield.

Jetpack Cat’s Ultimate ability is a unique take on Lifeline’s. When activated, Catnapper slams to the ground, damaging nearby enemies and attaching to the closest target. This allows Jetpack Cat to lift and carry that enemy anywhere – maybe down a well on the Illios map, or even into your own team for a guaranteed kill! Just be aware that it takes longer to pick up larger, tank-type characters, whether they’re enemies or allies.

Jetpack Cat is connected to Brigitte’s backstory! The Overwatch team revealed that Brigitte found a stray cat in her workshop and named her Fika. Around the same time, Brigitte was experimenting with an all-directional version of Reinhardt’s jetpack technology. It only works on a small scale right now, so the only creatures able to use it are the cats in the workshop – and Fika happens to be a natural pilot!

Zhang hinted that Fika has hidden capabilities we haven’t heard about yet. But she assured everyone that Fika is a lovable and reliable teammate who will always be there to support you during gameplay.

Players will be pleased to hear that Jennifer Hale, known for voicing Commander Shepard in Mass Effect and Ashe in Overwatch, voices Jetpack Cat. Scott Lawlor, audio director for Overwatch, shared that Hale recorded two two-hour sessions, creating around 700 unique sounds for the character – meaning Jetpack Cat will have plenty of personality! Plus, Epic and Legendary skins will alter the cat’s vocalizations, and the team at Blizzard even used their own cats as inspiration for these alternate looks.

1) The Next Five Heroes in 2026

With the launch of its first season in 2026, Overwatch will add five new heroes to the game. The developers plan to release five more heroes throughout the rest of the year, adding one with each new season. The official content roadmap also reveals which three heroes will be coming in Seasons 2, 3, and 4, though their identities and roles are still a secret.

The hero furthest to the right in the image, along with their flying device, will become available in Season 2. The hero with horns, appearing next to Mizuki, will follow in Season 3. We expect the large robot in the background to arrive in Season 4 – it might be a tank, but its role isn’t confirmed. That leaves the hero on the far left and the Omnic character wearing a trenchcoat and hat as the last two heroes planned for release this year.

A major change coming to Overwatch next week is a stronger emphasis on storytelling. The events of 2026 will center around the villainous Talon organization, and many of the new characters in Season 1 are connected to them. Only Jetpack Cat and Anran have ties to Overwatch. Because of this, it’s likely the story will become more important throughout the year, as these new characters appear to be part of a larger, ongoing plot.

We spoke with the team at Blizzard working on Overwatch, and they assured us they plan to continue adding one new hero to the game each year. While players shouldn’t anticipate a large group of heroes being released at once in 2027, they can expect a steady stream of new characters more consistently than before.

2026-02-04 21:45