Details regarding the upcoming Overwatch anniversary event have started to trickle out, with Blizzard about to add Arena maps and dance emotes to the popular multiplayer shooter.
Blizzard is celebrating an awesome first year for Overwatch, and is planning to launch an anniversary event on May 23.
3 New Arena Maps In 'Overwatch': New Mode Too?
Several official Overwatch Twitter accounts have uploaded a new video that shows at least three new maps will be added to the game as part of the upcoming anniversary event.
The short 30-second video features maps that look like they are set in new areas within the Dorado, Temple of Anubis, and Eichenwalde maps. The description of "Arena maps" is also an interesting thing to note, as Blizzard has not widely used the term before.
The new maps may be designed for 1v1 and 3v3 matches, which so far offer Ecopoint: Antarctica as the only playable map. Blizzard could finally be adding more maps for these modes, but a datamine from last year hinted that Arena will be an entirely new mode. A datamine from last week also suggested that a new mode is coming to Overwatch that will give players the objective of destroying something. Could these datamines be connected, and are three new maps for this new Arena mode?
Dancing Emotes For 'Overwatch' Heroes
To continue with the celebratory theme of Overwatch's anniversary, Blizzard will also be rolling out new dancing emotes for heroes.
Some of these emotes were previewed through a video that features Sombra, Lucio, Symmetra, and Zenyatta busting moves on the dance floor.
It is currently unclear if all the Overwatch characters will be getting their own dancing emotes, or if only these four characters will be getting them.
Blizzard also revealed that it will be adding new content into the standard loot boxes of Overwatch, including sitting and laughing emotes for Sombra and Orisa. The infamous sarcastic shrug of Gabriel Reyes, more popularly known as Reaper, in the Overwatch Uprising comic will also be making its way into the game as an emote and spray.
Is Doomfist Finally Arriving?
In February, it was discovered in the game's PTR that the payload of the Numbani map, which contained the Doomfist gauntlet, came with broken glass. This hinted that there is a new Doomfist, with speculation further fueled after an attack in the Numbani Airport that left behind a massive crater.
The new hero added to Overwatch after the events, however, was not Doomfist, but rather the omnic quadruped tank Orisa created by 11-year-old Efi Oladele. Blizzard is seemingly preparing to introduce Doomfist into the Overwatch roster soon though, and what better time than to do so during the game's anniversary?
Game director Jeff Kaplan said last month that the 25th Overwatch hero was very far along in development. Most of the speculation is that it will finally be Doomfist, and releasing the character during the game's anniversary will further drum up the excitement for the event. Blizzard could even make Doomfist crash the celebration to increase the impact of his arrival.
