Overwatch 2 seems to be dropping hints about its 45th hero, offering up clues through a banner and a showcased weapon on the new Stadium map, Arena Victoriae. Fans have been piecing together these breadcrumbs, leading them to believe that this enigmatic gladiator character might make her debut in Season 20.
At a recent Spotlight event for Overwatch 2, Blizzard lifted the veil on two of the heroes scheduled for 2025. They introduced Freja, a nimble damage dealer set for Season 16, and a mysterious support hero, currently dubbed “Aqua.” Yet, puzzle pieces about a third hero have been surfacing. Players have spotted sketches of a sword-wielding gladiator in those sneak peeks and even unearthed some cryptic text on Brigitte’s hero page that read, “Gladiators Gonna Gladiate.”
Recently, gamers noticed even more hints pointing towards a gladiator-themed Hero 45. While exploring Arena Victoriae—part of Overwatch 2’s fresh Stadium game mode—players discovered some intriguing visuals: a banner depicting the silhouette of a gladiator with a futuristic sword or spear and a display of the weapon itself. These items are stamped with XLV, the Roman numeral for 45, and carry the Italian phrase “La Lupa Della Ritorsione,” translating to “The Wolf of Retribution” or possibly “Retaliation.” Overwatch Cavalry shared these findings on Twitter, fueling more speculation.
Looking at the weapon’s form, it’s unlikely that this fighter is connected to Camilla, Titus, or Magnus, the mechanical gladiators featured on the Colosseo map. The silhouette on the banner doesn’t quite match Zephyrus from the same map’s adverts, and although it bears some resemblance to rival Maximus, the Italian article “La” on the banner implies a female character. Coupling this with earlier teasers about Brigitte’s model, it seems plausible that Hero 45 is a new female character.
If this mysterious gladiator is indeed Hero 45, she’s likely a melee-focused damage or tank character. Given that Overwatch 2 already has plans for a new damage dealer and a support hero in 2025, adding a tank would balance the lineup, especially since the game already features a variety of damage characters. While Reinhardt is the current melee tank option, other heroes like Doomfist and Hazard incorporate melee elements, and Genji is as close as it gets to a melee damage hero at the moment.
April 22 marks the launch of Season 16, along with Stadium and the Arena Victoriae map in Overwatch 2. Fans are eagerly waiting to dive into these new features and unravel more about “The Wolf of Retribution” once the game mode is live.
