Summary

• Teasers found in Overwatch 2 suggest Hero 45 could be a female gladiator arriving in Season 20.
• The gladiator hero might serve as a melee tank character based on release patterns.
• Fans speculate about the mysterious hero’s silhouette and weapon design visible in Arena Victoriae.

Hints in Overwatch 2 hint at the introduction of its 45th hero through a banner and weapon displays located on the new Stadium map, Arena Victoriae. These clues align with numerous other teasers that players have found, pointing towards a potential arrival of this gladiator hero in Season 20 of Overwatch 2.

Recently, Blizzard disclosed two of the three new heroes coming in 2025 during Overwatch 2’s Spotlight event: Freja, a mobile damage hero set for Season 16, and a watery support character, currently codenamed ‘Aqua.’ Fans have since uncovered multiple teasers hinting at the third new hero, including a doodle of a sword-wielding gladiator seen in the latest Spotlight and placeholder text on Brigitte’s hero page stating, “Gladiators Gonna Gladiate.”

With several current hints indicating Hero 45 may be a gladiatorial figure, players have identified two Easter eggs during playtests at Arena Victoriae: a banner showcasing a gladiator’s silhouette holding a high-tech sword or spear, and a separate display of the same weapon. Both items are marked with ‘XLV,’ the Roman numeral for 45, and the banner also reads ‘La Lupa Della Ritorsione’ (The Wolf of Retribution).

Evaluating the weapon’s shape suggests this combatant is neither Camilla, Titus, nor Magnus—three mechanical gladiators whose statues can be found on the Colosseo map. The silhouette depicted on the banner appears to diverge from Zephyrus, one of the two gladiators advertised around the same area. However, it closely resembles Maximus. The Italian definite article ‘La’ typically relates to feminine nouns, leading to assumptions that Hero 45 is likely a new female character, strikingly different from existing fighters.

If this enigmatic gladiator is indeed Hero 45, it is highly probable that they will be structured as a melee-based damage or tank character. Given that Overwatch 2 is already receiving a DPS and support character in 2025, having a tank would better fit release schedules since the damage role already has ample options. Nonetheless, Reinhardt already fills the role of a dedicated melee tank, while characters like Doomfist and Hazard incorporate significant melee features into their designs, and Genji could be seen as the nearest to a melee-focused damage anchor within Overwatch 2 today.

Season 16, featuring the Stadium and Arena Victoriae map, is expected to launch in Overwatch 2 on April 22. Fans are encouraged to observe these teasers for ‘The Wolf of Retribution’ in the game once the mode goes live.