The Overwatch universe may have some dark lore, but it provides plenty of cute stories and characters as well. While Orisa’s Puppy emote and Brigitte’s Katt emote add some cuteness to matches of Overwatch, baby Winston stands as the cutest thing from the franchise.
This young version of Winston appeared in his animated short Recall, which saw the genetically engineered ape pondering over whether he should bring Overwatch back together. While he ultimately decides to do so after a battle with Reaper, fans also get some insight into his origins via flashbacks. His bond with Dr. Winston is highlighted in this animated short, which is where he gets his name. Fans also see Winston as a baby, and thanks to some great animation, the young Winston is as cute as it gets. Now, one fan has gotten the baby monkey permanently tattooed on their body.
There have been plenty of great video game tattoos over the years, with some honoring the sci-fi franchise Mass Effect and others examining the post-apocalyptic world of The Last of Us. The sister of Reddit user RenMontalvan kept things simple with their homage to Overwatch, as nothing fancy was needed to make baby Winston a tattoo worth having. Instead, the tattoo artist perfectly copied the peanut butter-loving scientist’s younger form, with a jar of the character’s favorite food clearly seen in his hand.
Any Overwatch fans should be able to instantly recognize the tattoo, as the baby gorilla looks just like he does in his animated short. The cheerful expression on his face and the tongue peeking out are great touches, with some excellent shading used to make Winston’s fur look more detailed. The number 28 can be seen on his spacesuit, which is once again accurate to the animated short where baby Winston was seen. The Overwatch logo is seen in the bottom corner of the tattoo, with RenMontalvan’s sister repping the game alongside one of its most iconic characters.
Unsurprisingly, the post has been met with a positive response from the game’s fan base. While it is unlikely that baby Winston will ever be seen again in official Overwatch media, unless Blizzard decides to return to his origins for an Overwatch series or movie, it is clear that the Recall short had an impact on this Winston fan. While plenty have gotten tattoos that highlight the cast of Overwatch as they are seen in the game, getting some body art based on a baby version of a hero is truly unique.
With Winston responsible for bringing Overwatch back together, it can be assumed that he will have a major role in Overwatch 2’s PvE campaign. Though he may not be quite as cute as he was as a baby, fans like RenMontalvan’s sister should still be excited to see more of him.
Overwatch is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.