Heroes in Overwatch have a lot of character, which shines through in part by the way they're designed. Even the Omnic Bastion can feel almost human at times. One Overwatch fan was curious what Bastion would look like if he were human, and, using AI and Photoshop, was able to see for themselves. Two other characters also got the AI treatment, and now it's possible to see what Roadhog might look like without his mask and what Zenyatta might look like as a human.
Reddit user u/atraves was interested in providing three of Overwatch's original heroes with more human qualities. Using Artflow AI, and later tweaking the images in Photoshop, they posted the results to the Overwatch subreddit. Players have long wondered what Roadhog looks like under his mask. He keeps his mask on regardless of what skin he's equipped with, so it's been impossible to even get a glimpse. The mock-up makes him more normal-looking than many assumed he would be.
As for Zenyatta and Bastion, the mock-ups generated for those heroes also look nice, however, people in the comments have pointed out accurately that the AI didn't take into account each character's nationality. Roadhog is from Australia, but there are many hints in-game that he is of Maori descent. Zenyatta is a Buddhist monk from Nepal, so as a human he probably wouldn't look like, what one user describes him as, "a Yoga instructor."
While Blizzard has no current plans to balance those three characters, three other Overwatch characters are getting big changes when the sequel releases. Doomfist, Wrecking Ball, and Tracer will need rebalancing going forward, with the possibility of nerfs so they aren't too overpowered in the new meta. With the game going from 6v6 to 5v5, with tanks taking on a more prominent, active role, it's no surprise Wrecking Ball would be receiving changes.
A nerf to Tracer will not be popular with DPS mains, but changes to Doomfist would be more welcomed within the community. Doomfist is often cited as one of the most hated heroes in Overwatch. However, the game has its share of frustrating heroes to deal with. For instance, characters like Mei have the ability to freeze other players in place, allowing for perfectly aimed headshots, but that won't always be the case. Mei is receiving changes in Overwatch 2 that will strip away her ability to freeze others.
Blizzard has been open about many of these upcoming changes to characters but hasn't been as clear about the release date of the sequel. Recent Overwatch League news could back up rumors about Overwatch 2's release date, though. The next season is scheduled to begin in April 2022 and will be using an early build of the sequel. This has prompted some to believe Overwatch 2 might release within the next Overwatch League season. There's a lot to look forward to in the sequel, with new maps, characters, and a slew of interesting changes, but there's also the possibility of skin that might finally show Roadhog's face.
Overwatch is available right now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.