Overwatch 2’s next tank hero was teased at the end of the Season 13 trailer and players have already found clues about their identity in early concept art.
Not much was known about Season 14’s tank hero before October 9 with the exception being a placeholder image revealed at BlizzCon 2023.
However, the Season 13 trailer finally gave us some answers while raising even more questions.
At the end of the trailer, a damaged Oasis University could be seen and the camera panned to the wall where the word ‘PHREAKS’ was written in graffiti.
New #Overwatch2 Tank Hero Teased: Phreak 👀This Scottish hero is likely based on old concept art from Titan! pic.twitter.com/lJ5bNhxtOM
— Overwatch Cavalry (@OWCavalry) October 10, 2024
“It’s looking like a revolution,” a voice with a Scottish accent says as the trailer comes to a close.
Interestingly, as players quickly discovered, this isn’t the first time Phreaks or Phreak has been mentioned in Overwatch. In fact, its first appearance dates back to early concept art when Overwatch was still in development as an MMO, Titan.
The concept art lists the hero’s abilities as being cannon, stomp, and attract. That said, don’t put too much stock in these placeholders remaining, as this art was from nearly 10 years ago and a lot could have changed.
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However, as creator Bro You Wack pointed out, Phreaks appears to be the name of a new faction in the game, but it’s been right under everyone’s noses.
The Season 14 hero was likely teased at the end of the S13 trailer!Either going by the name "Phreak" or in a gang called "Phreaks". The gang name appearing on the jacket and "revolution" scene on the Overwatch map Paris, and old hero concept in the early Titan days! pic.twitter.com/GBdeskVVYX
— BRO YOU WACK (@BroYouWack) October 10, 2024
The name Phreaks is even visible on the jacket of a punk-like character in art of the Omnic Crisis when Paris was under civil unrest.
“Either going by the name ‘Phreak’ or in a gang called ‘Phreaks’. The gang name appearing on the jacket and ‘revolution’ scene on the Overwatch map Paris,” he noted.
Luckily, we won’t have long to wait until we get to learn more about this mysterious new hero. Ever since Mauga, the devs have allowed players to try out new characters the season before they release as part of an early preview and to do some balance testing.
While we’ll probably need to wait until Season 13’s midway point for more information, there could be more clues coming once S13 kicks off on October 15.