Given the Switch port and the rumored PVE sequel supposedly set for reveal at Blizzcon next month, Overwatch is in a bit of a renaissance right now. With a new push comes new lore, and an Amazon listing is hinting that new stories in the Overwatch universe may be coming in the form of books.
The listing is for a book called The Hero of Numbani by author Nicky Drayden, known for her recent works on The Prey of Gods and Temper. The book is notably listed as “Book #1,” hinting that a series is in the works.
The plot synopsis mentions the shield-deploying tank Orisa, her creator Efi, and the DJ medic Lucio as major players, all of whom have been getting the short end of the stick in Overwatch’s external media over the years. The three have been mostly absent from the web comics and animated shorts that have been Blizzard’s primary means of expanding upon its characters up to this point. Doomfist will also make an appearance, but he always seems to be around so that’s less fun. The full summary reads as follows:
In the technologically advanced African city of Numbani, in the not-so-distant future, humans live in harmony with humanoid robots known as omnics. But when a terrorist tries to shatter that unity, a hero named Efi Oladele rises!
Efi has been making robots since she was little-machines to better her community and improve people’s lives. But after she witnesses Doomfist’s catastrophic attack on the city’s OR15 security bots, Efi feels the call to build something greater: a true guardian of Numbani.
While Doomfist sows discord between humans and omnics, Efi engineers an intelligent and compassionate robot, Orisa, named after the powerful spirits who guide her people. Orisa has a lot to learn before she’s ready to defeat Doomfist, but Efi has some learning to do, too, especially when it comes to building-and being-a hero. With Doomfist rallying his forces, and the military powerless to stop him, can Efi mold Orisa into the hero of Numbani before it’s too late?
This action-packed novel features the fan-favorite characters Efi, Orisa, Doomfist, and Lúcio in an all-new, original story straight from the minds of the Overwatch game team and critically acclaimed author Nicky Drayden!
Based on the events described, this sounds like it will be a more fleshed out version of Orisa’s known origin story, which was revealed when the character launched in Overwatch back in 2017. The listing says The Hero of Numbani will launch on May 5, 2020, which doesn’t sound like a placeholder, but we won’t know for sure until official word is out there.
All of this seems to be leading up to a big announcement at Blizzcon, where Blizzard is rumored to be unveiling a PVE-focused sequel to Overwatch that could make good on the game’s lackluster approach to character development over the years. While Blizzard has been making some major changes to the game like the addition of Role Lock (even if it’s come with some unintended drawbacks), the story side of the universe has been moving at an agonizingly slow pace. Two new short stories came out earlier this year, focusing on both Baptiste and Ana and Soldier: 76, but even after all was said and done, what they revealed wasn’t reflected in-game.
