Blizzcon traditionally means a new Overwatch cinematic, and with that new cinematic (titled Reunion) comes a new hero: Ashe, the leader of the Deadlock gang. We also got to see what's in that oblong white crate on Route 66: Echo, a high-tech android that seems to know McCree pretty well.
Let's kick things off with the Reunion cinematic. In it, we got to see the Route 66 train robbery in action. McCree sat at the diner enjoying a piece of pie right before the train exploded. He stepped outside and confronted the Deadlock gang including their leader Ashe, her companion B.O.B, and a handful of other shooters. Take a peek at the cinematic for yourself to see the sweet action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKYVvPNhRR0
McCree simply wanted the contents of the mysterious white crate. After an intense fight concludes, we learn that it contained an android by the name of Echo. We don't know much about her, but she appears to be quite similar to Iris who was part of the pitch from the game's early days.
Speculation about this white android character included the notion that Iris was an avatar of Athena, the organization's main artificial intelligence. Echo may very well be the latest iteration of this concept. Papa Jeff stated that we'll be hearing more about Echo later, so odds are good that she'll make for a future character!
That's one mystery down - we now know that the strange white shell from Route 66 contained Echo. While it certainly would have been great to play as her, we're instead getting another gunslinger added to the mix. Ashe - friend of McCree and leader of the Deadlock gang - will be joining Overwatch as the 29th hero on the roster. Take a look at the introduction trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8LbOecWGug
Ashe's hero page is already up on the site. Here's a breakdown of her abilities:
- The Viper - A quick-firing lever action rifle that can be fired from the hip or with aim down sights.
- Dynamite - An explosion bundle of dynamite that explodes after a short delay, igniting enemies caught in the blast. It can also be shot for an immediate explosion.
- Coach Gun - a double-barreled shotgun that can knock back enemies or be used to push off of surfaces (including vertically!)
- B.O.B - Ashe's Ultimate summons her Omnic sidekick B.O.B to enter the fray. He'll charge in to knock back enemies and then stick around for a bit to lay down covering fire.
Did you enjoy the Reunion cinematic? What do you think of Ashe? Do you like her set of abilities? Who or what do you think Echo is? Let us know in the comments below!