Overwatch 2 has fully shown off what players can expect from its newest tank hero, Hazard. Hazard continues the trend of new heroes getting a short trial in the previous season. This has worked incredibly well for the hero shooter by building excitement for the new hero and giving the developers time to tune the new addition. Venture and Juno, who both received early trials, were released in a state of near-perfect balance if not just slightly overturned, which was a welcome change when compared to previous heroes.

With the announcement of Hazard, the future heroes of Overwatch 2 are a complete unknown. Blizzcon 2023 officially showed off everything about the hero Mauga along with early peeks at Venture and Juno, but the convention also provided the smallest hint of Hazard's early concept art in the Tank role. This gave many the idea that Season 14's hero was going to be a tank. Earlier in Season 13, the community was given teases for the Phreaks faction, initially inspired by one of Overwatch's earliest concept heroes.

Who Is Overwatch 2's Hazard

The Leader Of The Phreaks

Hazard grew up in a turmoil-ridden household and enlisted in the military in the hopes of finding stability. However, after an accident where an Overwatch ship crashed into his location, which is believed to be part of Tracer's origin story, he was left with major bodily harm. Once again left alone, Hazard ed the Phreaks, a cyberpunk-esque rebellion group that wished to change the world in their own way. There, Hazard quickly rose through the ranks to lead the group, eventually planning a heist to steal the Vanadium Isotopes that give him his non-cybernetic powers.

How Does Hazard Play In Overwatch 2

A Hybrid Weapon

Hazard is a chaotic new addition to Overwatch 2, combining brawl and dive mechanics into one package. His main gun is Bonespur, a shotgun-like arm attachment that launches crystallized spikes. His mobility is complimented by his Violent Leap and Jagged Wall. The former is essentially a mini Winston jump that gives Hazard the option to slash at a nearby target to end the jump early. Jagged Wall is a placeable structure that damages enemies that hit it, cuts off angles, and gives him a place to use his Vault ive that scales small surfaces.

The last two parts of Hazard's kit play well into his Tank role. Spike Guard is similar to Ramattra's or Doomfist's damage block ability but works on an energy meter rather than a cooldown. While using Spike Guard, Hazard will have a small cone shape in front of him that will auto-target enemies with the crystals on his back. Lastly, his ultimate, Downpour, will launch a rain of spikes forward in a wide area, dealing light damage and trapping any enemies hit.

Who Works Best With Hazard

Built To Succeed In Any Format

Whether for 5v5 or Season 14's 6v6 tests, Hazard seems to work well with the current roster. In 5v5, he will likely be better for brawl comps than pure dive, as tanks like Winston and D.Va will still have more range. However, when compared to other brawl tanks like Ramattra or Reinhardt, Hazard offers much of, if not more of, the same damage, while bringing CC abilities few other tanks have. DPS that would work well with Hazard includes Mei, Reaper, Junkrat, and Venture.

Mei specifically opens tons of doors for annoying but strong CC encounters with Hazard.

While 6v6 tests are active, or in the case of the format making a permanent return, Hazard has good synergy with many tanks. Obvious brawl pairings include Zarya, Ramattra, and Roadhog, who could work together to isolate targets and each other. He could also fit with dive tanks to create a hybrid style, and in this regard, his best option would be Doomfist. The best DPS to pair for 6v6 are the usual brawl options, but dive choices like Tracer, Genji, and Echo are also viable.

Overall, Hazard is gearing up to be an exciting new addition to the hero shooter. His playstyle offers a balanced mix of being a ive tank while also allowing the player to have an impact on damage. It is intriguing that his kit feels suited for either team format, and could be a sign of where the game is heading since canceling the PvE hero mode. For now, Hazard and everything that is known about him will launch into Overwatch 2's 5v5 format.