Overwatch 2 is capping off 2023 with a new tank, and he sounds like an absolute unit. Mauga, who’s soon to be revealed at BlizzCon but was leaked a tad early by a rogue Nintendo Switch ad shared on Reddit, is a beefy brawler packing not one, but two massive chainguns.
In a first for Overwatch 2, all players will get a chance to try Mauga before Season 8 begins. He’ll be free to try starting today, November 3, through Sunday, November 5.
You can assume a lot about how Mauga will play based on his attack pose alone, but the full Switch promotional article also spills the beans on his abilities. I’ve recapped the descriptions below for convenience:
- Two chainguns, two effects: The incendiary “Gunny” chaingun triggers a burn effect when enemies take enough damage. The “Cha-Cha” gun deals “Volatile” type damage, which sounds like a new status effect for Overwatch.
- Berserker (passive): Grants temporary health whenever Mauga deals critical damage
- Overrun: A charging ability that cannot be stopped by any crowd control abilities, and stomps into opponents dealing a powerful knockback
- Cardiac Overdrive: Engages both of his hearts and creates an aura that reduces incoming damage, allowing allies to heal themselves while dealing damage
- Cage Fight (ultimate): Traps nearby opponents in a cylindrical fighting ring. This barrier blocks enemy incoming damage or healing from the outside, forcing those trapped inside to face Mauga.
Sounds like my kind of tank. Based only on his description, Mauga definitely seems to fit the bill of a “modern” Overwatch tank—someone who’s proficient at setting up kills for DPS teammates (setting enemies on fire or debuffing them with “Volatile” damage) and catching squishy targets out of position. I hope, personally, he fills a similar role to D.Va with his “infinite ammo” description. Orisa is fun, but if you ask me there aren’t enough tanks with actual guns.
Until recently, you could argue there weren’t enough tanks in general. Blizzard has been keen to correct the lack of support roles in the sequel’s first year, focusing 2023’s new hero pool on healers (Lifeweaver and Illari) while tanks have felt underserved since last December with Ramattra. Hopefully Mauga will change that.
Blizzard will likely have more to say about Mauga into Saturday as BlizzCon continues through November 4.