Overwatch's Baptiste Leaps Into Action on March 19th

The world of Overwatch is a very wonderful place - a universe that is always being flushed out by the folks at Blizzard Entertainment, consistently adding more depth to a genre that has a long history shallow storytelling. Part of that secrent sauce of success is their ability to create interesting characters, with motivations, complete backstories, and of course, unique abilities. The latest Overwatch hero revealed was none other than Baptiste, the bio-enhanced combat medic, and now we know he’s coming into play on March 19. 

In a recent update from the Overwatch team, it was announced that Baptiste, will be hitting the public servers on March 19th, 2019. That’s less than a week away. Which leaves you with a very short amount of time to download the Player Test Realm (or PTR) and practice up on those healing grenades. Baptiste is the first hero to hit the budding competitive shooter since last November, when the world was gifted with Ashe. 2018 saw the release of three new heroes total, a number that has had many fans irked by the slow release schedule. 

Everyone sign their life insurance policies? ?

Baptiste reports for duty 03.19.19 pic.twitter.com/jo7LMmftik

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 13, 2019

Who is Baptiste?

The newest member of the ever-growing Overwatch roster is Baptiste, a lovingly dubbed “combat medic” from Haiti with strong ties to the Talon organization. 

With a healing grenade-launcher, and three-burst attack damage gun, Baptiste brings both the aggression and support to the frontlines of the fight. The character is also equipped with a pair of Exo Boots that allow players to leap to greater heights, based on a charged crouch. Adding to the versatility and team play is Baptiste’s ultimate ability which lays down a digital wall that doubles the damage of projectiles shot through it. Used correctly, this might be the strongest assault support ultimate the game has ever introduced. More on how to play Baptiste in the coming weeks, we just have to wait until Blizzard stops tweaking his current abilities.

When is Baptiste Coming to the Overwatch League?

In a recently run dev Q&A with Blizzard’s Overwatch team, a keen fan was quick to ask when the world might see some top-tier Baptiste play coming to the Overwatch League mainstage, because we’re all frothing at the mouth at the thoughts of Jjonak throwing down some clutch Immortality Fields as the New York Excelsiors continue their dominance. 

Overwatch’s dead designer Geoff Goodman was on hand to answer fans questions about the actual gameplay surrounding the new character, and he stated that Baptiste will be unlocked for use in Overwatch League accounts one-week after the launch of the character to the public. Which, just so happens to fall after the completion of the Stage 1 Playoffs, giving pro players more than a week of off-time to freshen up and practice their boosted leaps. 

How to Unlock Baptiste

That’s the easy part. Overwatch has popularized the idea that champion-based pvp games can come at a premium price. It is, and has been since launch, listed at a full retail cost. That comes with the complication of the tried-and-true formula that is giving players a free game, with restricted content, that can either be unlocked or purchased with real money. This is the formula that League of Legends and more recently Fortnite have used to great success. 

Being that Overwatch is a premium purchase just to get into the game, Blizzard has never charged anything for a hero character. Instead, they release all new heroes to the entire player-base, at the same time. So, you don’t have to unlock it! The game should do a small update in the Battle.net client the day Baptiste is released (March 19th), and he’ll be available for play right away. 

Are you excited to get another potentially critical support hero in Overwatch? Have you booted up the PTR server and tested him out yet? Share your thoughts in the comments.