Orisa, the four-legged Overwatch tank with the gentle disposition who was revealed to the world earlier this month, will leave her extended stay on the PTR and go into full release on March 21. Blizzard revealed the rollout date today alongside a new "behind-the-scenes" video in which developers talk a bit about the inspirations for the character, what she brings to the game, and where she fits in with the rest of the Overwatch team.
Like Reinhardt, the robotic Orisa is an "anchor tank" who sacrifices mobility for toughness. She has a targeted protective barrier similar to Reinhardt's shield that can be placed on the ground nearby or at a distance, and wields a hard-hitting primary weapon called the Fusion Driver that, in the spirit of the character, lays down sustained damage but slows Orisa's movement when being fired.
"Reinhardt is one of the only characters that can can really stand his ground, mark a spot, and move with his team real slow," lead designer Geoff Goodman says in the video. "So we thought there was a great opportunity there for another option."
Orisa is joining the Overwatch team at a "very early stage in her career as a character," but even so, game director Jeff Kaplan expects her to have a big impact. "I think she's a core character in the Overwatch lineup in terms of gameplay mechanics and functionality," he says. "She's going to serve a really unique role in Overwatch."
Have a look at our list of Orisa's abilities for a more detailed breakdown of what she can do on the battlefield, and to find out how she became part of the Overwatch pantheon, check out her origin trailer below.
