Overwatch Hero 31 Delayed, Summer Games Arriving Early

Hero 30, the healer-DPS hybrid Baptiste, arrived in Overwatch back in March. Four months have passed since Baptiste's debut, leaving fans in anxious expectation over the next character to join the hero-shooter's quirky roster. While Blizzard has given little away, the latest Developer Update provides some insight on what's in store for players, including the introduction of Hero 31.

Game director Jeff Kaplan did not have much to say about the new character; however, he confirmed two details: Hero 31 will be male and also arrive later than players familiar with the release schedule would expect. "He'll be here soon enough, so don't worry," said Kaplan. "We think a little bit of extra time is going to make the hero even more awesome." Basically, it sounds like Hero 31 has entered development but Blizzard delayed his release for some fine-tuning. 

Kaplan also mentioned the 2019 Summer Games, a regular Overwatch seasonal event. In the past, the Summer Games have started in early August, progressing throughout the month. Based on Kaplan's statement, the event is "going to happen much sooner than it usually happens," indicating that it will kick off by the end of July and include a new feature. Players will have a new mini challenge to take on every week during the event's three-week run. Completing these challenges will reward you with an Epic Skin.

Blizzard has also kept busy with quality of life improvements, including an improved cheating detection system. Under this new approach, the developer will automatically shut down matches where cheating is detected. Players on both sides of the match will not receive a penalty, ensuring that you won't lose SR. Kaplan promises that "very harsh actions are happening against that cheater" following these shut downs.

Overwatch players should see more information about the summer schedule, including the Summer Games and Hero 31, in the coming weeks.