Will Mauga be Overwatch’s next hero?

Who do you think the new hero will be?

Overwatch is back in full swing with the release of the sequel, and that means we’re back in the swing of the hype surrounding new hero releases. I mean, I still mostly stick to the roster of original heroes because I like the simplicity of their kits, but even if I don’t plan on playing any of the new additions, their presence still switches up the meta significantly. Now rumors are flying as to who the newest recruit to the Overwatch lineup is going to be, and the frontrunner as of now is Mauga, a Talon Heavy Assault and former friend of Baptiste.

Mauga appeared in a short story called “What You Left Behind,” which focused on Baptiste’s backstory and was released alongside the Baptiste Reunion Challenge mini-event. Mauga and Baptiste were both part of the Talon operation at Monte Cristo, where the former called the latter the “best medic in Talon.”

While Mauga initially comes across as a “big dumb brute,” in reality he is a tactful and ruthless combatant. Baptiste even said he was “like a demon” because of Mauga’s sociopathic and sadistic nature. The two aren’t particularly friends, but they do have a certain rapport in combat, as Baptiste is really the only one who can talk Mauga down, and Mauga has shown Baptiste mercy that he doesn’t otherwise extend to others.

Considering Mauga’s large stature and strong personality, if he were to be the next Overwatch hero, I’d put money down that he’d be a tank. We’re definitely overdue for another Talon character, and I’d argue that Mauga would have the most imposing presence the roster has seen to date, which I think would shake things up in a fun way. Plus, there aren’t many other heroes in the game that Baptiste shares any lore with, so it would be cool to see his story woven into the game’s lore in a more significant way.

Of course, there are other theories bouncing around too, like the kid from the original Overwatch cinematic (what a throwback that would be), but for now it’s basically a toss up. Thankfully we won’t have to wait too long, because we know that the new hero is being revealed tonight during the Overwatch League Grand Finals.

I’m also hoping that the new hero, regardless of who they are, will be available for all players as soon as they’re released, but it’s likely Blizzard is going to lock them behind the Battle Pass, at least at first, like they did with Kiriko. I’m of the mind that moves like that are very much in conflict with the original vision of what the game was supposed to be, but I guess there’s nothing we can do about it now.

[Update: Nope.]