Overwatch 2 players that have followed the franchise for a while will be familiar with some of Blizzard’s scrapped hero concepts. Jetpack Cat is one of the most absurd, but with animals like Winston and Hammond having prominent roles within the Overwatch universe, it is possible to imagine it being added. Players have also been waiting on Mauga for some time, with the Tank being in the works before Sigma took his position. However, of all the scrapped heroes, Mama Hong may be the most unique.
Little is known about Mama Hong, as she was part of the original pitch for Overwatch and her design came from unused Project Titan concept art. However, similar to how heroes like Mercy were directly inspired by Project Titan characters, perhaps Mama Hong can be brought back as a proper character in Overwatch 2. Based on a recent Reddit thread, it seems like gamers are interested in the potential of her becoming more than a cut concept.
Mama Hong Could Be an Entertaining Addition To Overwatch 2
Shortly before Ramattra’s reveal, a popular Reddit thread started by a user named wolfchant123 saw players asking for Mama Hong to be added. Though it was likely made in jest, and many of the comments were comedic as opposed to serious, strange hero concepts have made their way to the game. After all, gamers need look no further than Wrecking Ball for an absurd but memorable character design.
Back in 2019, it was stated that Mama Hong was second to Wrecking Ball in terms of controversial character concepts, which speaks volumes about whether she could be added. If Blizzard went ahead with crafting a hero that pilots a hamster ball mech, Mama Hong certainly seems like a viable option. Though she was seemingly inspired by the Landlady from Kung Fu Hustle, as she has rolls in her hair, the heavy-set woman is a mystery beyond that. With her shown smoking and looking unhappy in the concept image, though, she likely has a rugged personality.
The only ability listed for Mama Hong is a dark one, as it is called Manslaughter. How exactly this would have functioned in-game is anyone’s guess, but it could have been triggered by getting an elimination like the kill skills in Borderlands 3’s skill trees. Perhaps Manslaughter would have seen Mama Hong doing extra damage or getting increased cooldowns after an elimination. With Hong being a blank slate beyond this ability, it is fun to imagine a few potential traits for her.
Since Mama Hong seems to be some kind of mob boss figure, making her a summoner could be interesting. Currently, only Ashe fills this role, and that is limited to her Ultimate ability. Perhaps Hong could have a regular ability involving summoning, with her calling a random thug to help her fight her enemies. Like Ashe’s butler Bob, this summoned AI character could have a standout personality, though their health could be lower and they would have to dish out a lot less damage. For her Ultimate, perhaps Hong could summon multiple slightly stronger thugs.
When it comes to Mama Hong’s choice of weapon, nunchucks would be an interesting option, as quick melee attacks would be different from Reinhardt’s slow hammer swings or Brigitte’s flail hits. Based on the one image fans have of Mama Hong, her personality would be one of the most attractive aspects of her character. It is easy to imagine Mama Hong being condescending, rude, and bossy toward nearly every character on the roster, though it would be intriguing to see how she speaks to another older woman like Ana. Mama Hong may seem hard to take seriously, but Blizzard has managed to make a talking gorilla a cornerstone of Overwatch's world, so anything is possible.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X,