Message on Overwatch map could be a hint about the next hero

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What could one word possibly mean to the Overwatch universe? An intrepid player recently discovered a new addition on Ecopoint: Antarctica that could give a hint toward the game’s next hero. While it’s a pretty heavy-handed hint, there’s still plenty of room for interpretation.

Ecopoint: Antarctica is an Overwatch map normally used for arcade and custom modes. Duels, free-for-alls, and many custom competition modes are played on the icy map. A Reddit user posted a video of a player, as Mei, exploring an area of the map. They discovered a snow globe with one word inside: grey.

Since Ecopoint: Antarctica isn’t often played, this is a hint that would be difficult to find for players who don’t explore within custom lobbies. We quickly searched the map and nothing else in the Ecopoint room has changed besides a single, sparkling snow globe practically yelling the word “grey.” The text moves as a player moves around the room, making it visible from every angle.

Many players are assuming this snow globe is a hint about a new hero, and they’re probably correct. The Overwatch developer team normally unveils a new hero at BlizzCon, which takes place from Nov. 1 to 2 this year. Last year, Ashe was revealed during a cinematic that debuted at BlizzCon.

Within that “Reunion” cinematic, there’s another character that might be the game’s next hero: Echo, an omnic that McCree rescues from Ashe’s gang. Her outer body is gray and the color scheme of her character model matches that of the snow globe, which has a blue detail instead of orange on the Overwatch logo.

While that’s a pretty obvious interpretation of the hint, game director Jeff Kaplan has previously said that Echo is one of the heroes in development for Overwatch. Another popular guess is Sojourn, an Overwatch agent who was prominently featured in the Storm Rising Archives mission earlier this year. The globe’s presence on Ecopoint: Antarctica could also hint that the hero will be related to the ill-fated cryogenic mission Mei escaped from.

Whatever the message of the globe is, players can check it out during any Ecopoint: Antarctica game by going to the spawn room with tropical decorations.