Overwatch’s next hero, Hudson, is joining the damage roster in Season 6, and Blizzard has now explained why the omnic detective changed roles during development. If you had mentally reserved him a place in your support rotation, that particular case has taken a fairly inconvenient turn.
In a public statement on 13 November, game director Aaron Keller said Hudson began development as a support hero. As work continued, however, the team felt that his kit was not working in that role, and testing him as a damage hero produced a much stronger response internally.
Keller presented the decision as a question of whether Blizzard believed in the character it was preparing to release. His explanation was that the team needed to adapt as development progressed, rather than stick with an earlier plan at the expense of a version it preferred.
That gives players a clearer account of the change without requiring a conspiracy board and several metres of red string. It also leaves room for disappointment: Keller acknowledged that people had been looking forward to another support, while standing behind the team’s enthusiasm for Hudson.
Blizzard’s official Overwatch account has separately confirmed Hudson’s name, damage classification and Season 6 arrival. Those posts do not provide a full breakdown of his abilities or a specific calendar launch date, so there is still more detective work for the eventual gameplay reveal to cover.
The updated story was spotted through Kotaku and checked against Keller’s public statement. You can also read the official Hudson announcement for Blizzard’s confirmation of the new role.