Genji Leaps From 'Overwatch' To 'Heroes Of The Storm'

Blizzard is preparing a massive update to its multiplayer online battle arena, Heroes of the Storm, including new heroes and battlegrounds. The company offered another peek at those additions today with Genji, a cyborg ninja making the leap from its Overwatch team-based shooter, and a Hanamura battleground depicting his ancestral home. Both are now available in the Heroes of the Storm 2.0 beta the company is currently running.

Genji is the fourth Overwatch character--following Tracer, Lucio, and Zarya--to leap to Heroes of the Storm. He's well suited to fast-paced close-quarters combat in the former, and in the latter, he seems to be focused on quickly doling out damage to enemy Heroes. He belongs to the Assassin role group, which Blizzard said on the Heroes of the Storm website is able to "thrive on the battlefield through hit-and-run tactics, carefully timed attacks, and by capitalizing on the perfect moment to engage or flee." That sounds like the perfect niche for a cyborg ninja, doesn't it?

Hanamura is all about escorting Payloads to damage enemy Cores, which cannot be harmed by Heroes, while destroying enemy Forts to allow the Payloads to do more damage when they reach the Cores. The map features cherry trees, wooden structures, and other elements meant to complement Genji's ninja theme. Blizzard said Hanamura will also bring with it new objectives, mercenaries, and a new theme to the game's Nexus.

Both additions are part of Blizzard's planned Heroes of the Storm 2.0 update. The company said in March that the game's next version will feature "all-new progression and rewards systems, a wealth of new cosmetic items, new Hero customization options, and much, much more" to earn that 2.0 designation. You can sign up for the open beta now, but know that anything unlocked during the beta won't transfer to the update's official release.