Overwatch's new hero is a hamster
UPDATE: Wrecking Ball rolls out next week.
UPDATE 18/7/18: Wrecking Ball the hamster will roll out to all Overwatch players on Tuesday 24th July, Blizzard has now confirmed.
Announced three weeks ago to surprise and some delight, the mech-suited rodent has since found a legion of fans. No word yet on when Jetpack Cat will be available, however.
ORIGINAL STORY 28/6/18: Blizzard has seemingly unveiled its latest Overwatch hero, Wrecking Ball. It is a hamster in a mech suit.
A teaser video posted to Overwatch's official Twitter account shows Hammond rolling in wearing a hulking metal suit, like one of the droidekas from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Turrets fire, and the camera zooms in as the top pops open to reveal... the cute hamster within.
Fans have reacted in surprise to the reveal - and delight that Hammond's identity as a hamster was correctly called by Overwatch reddit user stmaurer just 24 hours ago.
Clues in Overwatch's latest ARG hinted that Hammond liked to explore ventilation shafts, had a cage, and a toy ball. Even Hammond's mech suit is ball-shaped, like the hamster-walking balls I have just been told the RSPCA advises against using.
As well as surprise at Hammond the hamster's announcement, Overwatch fans have dutifully pointed out a certain double standard this now creates - that Jetpack Cat, a previously-dropped hero design, was ditched for being too wacky. Does Hammond the hamster mean Jetpack Cat could now see the light of day? Overwatch fans are already excited at the possibility.