The release date for Overwatch's newest character Doomfist is finally here, as Blizzard has now made the gauntlet-wielding warrior available on all platforms outside of the team-based shooter's Public Test Region. Of course, in order to properly bring the melee-heavy offense fighter into the game, the developer also had to put out a fresh patch to ensure that the title remains balanced among all of its various heroes.

As seen below in the latest trailer for Overwatch, fans are given a quick insight into the origins of Doomfist's return, with the character being shown destroying several OR15 defense units at Numbani’s airport terminal before thrusting himself into the middle of the action against the rest of the game's heroes. Of course, while the video shows the fisticuffs-friendly fighter dishing out the pain in huge portions, it's important to note that the recent patch following his stint in the title's PTR has reduced the range of his Rocket Punch, but also has added a UI indicator for his Ultimate to help gauge how effective it will be.

Naturally, as has been the case in the past with new characters being added to Overwatch's roster, Blizzard has implemented several changes and tweaks to some of the game's other heroes as well. For instance, players can swing Reinhardt's hammer more quickly, and Zarya's Ultimate has been buffed by disabling all movement abilities for those trapped in its wake. Additionally, McCree's Flashbang slows opponents more, Reaper's Shadow Step sound effect and voice-over is less discernible from farther away to add to his stealth component, and D.Va has new sound effects and voice lines for her Defense Matrix, which includes one that alerts players to when it absorbs an enemy Ultimate.

Furthermore, Overwatch's latest update includes some improvements to the Highlights system by allowing players to manually capture clips to save them, and it also reduces the chances of receiving duplicate items from Loot Box rewards. For those fans interested in discovering all of the various refinements and alterations that Blizzard has made to the title in order to balance it properly, they can do so by checking out the full patch notes right here.

Taking all of this into account, it's safe to say that Overwatch fans will be pleased to see that Doomfist is finally in the proper game, as his inclusion will help add even more variety to an already diverse cast of characters. Of course, the future of the title will likely continue to be tweaked in multiple capacities, as the most recent update didn't address some issues fans have previously pointed out that Blizzard said it would acknowledge. With this being the case, expect a Junkrat buff in a forthcoming patch.

Overwatch is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: PlayOverwatch – YouTube