New Overwatch hero Baptiste goes live next week
Haitian to add.
New Overwatch hero Baptiste will be released for players on all platforms on Tuesday, 19th March. As with all new heroes, there will be a one week period after his arrival before he is available for Competitive Play.
Baptiste is a support hero with some powerful new abilities. He has an Immortality Field, which bubbles out like a Winston shield and prevents anyone within from dying while active - giving him plenty of time to pump healing grenades in, or to activate his immediate area-of-effect heal.
His rifle is hitscan so the small bursts of bullets arrive at their destination as soon as he shoots - great if you've got good accuracy - and he gains a lot of manoeuvrability and access to high ground by being able to crouch and charge a super-jump.
His Ultimate, meanwhile, creates a window roughly the size of Reinhardt's shield which amplifies the effects of all friendly projectiles passing through it.
Lots of potential, then - but enough to shake up the de facto three tank (Reinhardt/Winston, D. Va, Zarya), three support (Zenyatta, Lucio, Brigitte) meta dominating top-end Overwatch play at the moment? In conjunction with other changes on the Public Test Realm, which will probably roll-out with Baptiste, they might.
These include a slight nerf to Zenyatta's Orb of Discord, and to Lucio's speed boost, although Lucio's wall riding personal speed buff is being significantly increased (presumably to encourage him to get behind enemy lines). Space for another support to step into the mix?
We'll see! Still, there's always a new Wrecking Ball plush to squeeze with frustration if not.