Echo’s reveal on Thursday left a lot of fans confused about her role. Surely Blizzard wouldn’t release another damage hero when Overwatch only has seven healers on the roster, right? Wrong, Echo is a damage hero and apparently the last hero in the game. Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan described in an interview with Stylosa that Echo is the original game’s final hero.
In the interview, Jeff Kaplan explains that the Overwatch team’s primary focus is on developing Overwatch 2. They have other heroes in the works, but we won’t be seeing them for a while. Jeff also says that we probably won’t get another hero “this year.”
What does this mean for the future of the game?
We can assume a few things from this statement. First, Overwatch 2 will likely not release until 2021. Second, we will see multiple new heroes in Overwatch 2 when the game finally does release. Lastly, we can assume there will be big changes when Echo releases because Kaplan states that it “will be a completely different game” when she comes out.
This is an odd time for fans of the game. While it seems unlikely that Blizzard would want the game to be stagnant for almost a year, it does seem like that may be the case this time around. Hopefully, there are at least some new maps or fun events that come during this time period. There is currently no set release date for Echo either.
Blizzard has made a number of controversial moves in Overwatch recently. Echo being a damage hero, Hero Pools, and enforcing 2-2-2 team compositions have all been met with mixed opinions. This news will surely come with its fair share of mixed opinions as well.
If this does end up being the case, expect to hear more about Overwatch 2 in the coming months.
