Overwatch w/Devs: Doctrine, Grimsvötn, Reworks, and More | Official XBOX Podcast

On this episode of the Official XBOX Podcast, we’re at BlizzCon and sitting down with the Overwatch team to talk all about Season 5’s newest hero: Doctrine. We’re also diving into the new map Grimsvötn, talking updates to Sombra and Roadhog, and so much more.

TRANSCRIPT

LINA MADRID: Games in this podcast range from E to N.
[ XBOX sound ]
Hey, everyone, welcome to the official XBOX podcast, the only podcast, coming to you from inside XBOX.
I’m Lina, this is Jeff, and we’re here at BlizzCon 2026.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: In case you didn’t hear the noise behind you — we hear the noise, don’t we?
LINA MADRID: Yeah, yeah.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: All right, Ben Bell, Aaron Keller, fresh off the stage here at BlizzCon.
Thank you so much for joining us during your Super Bowl weekend.
AARON KELLER: Thank you so much for having us.
BEN BELL: Thank you.
AARON KELLER: Super excited.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: I would love to talk about this year in general.
Starting with the Overwatch Spotlight at the beginning of the year, from that point forward, it felt like everyone I was talking to, they’d be no, I’ve really gotten back into Overwatch this year.
And then announcement after announcement, new characters, and then sort of peaking here on stage with yet another announcement of both a map and a character.
I’d love to hear, just tell us about the state of Overwatch here as you’re wrapping up 2026.
AARON KELLER: Yeah, we wanted to go big this year, and we had this plan to do all of that early on in our Spotlight event in February.
We announced five new heroes, the return to story to Overwatch.
And since then, every season we’ve released a new hero, we’ve moved the story forward.
And you’re right, it culminated here at BlizzCon 2026 where we announced our ninth hero of the year.
His name is Doctrine, and he has a big part to play in the wrap-up of the whole story that we’ve been telling that’s going to end next season in Season 5.
LINA MADRID: Yeah, I’m very much looking forward to February, the Spotlight, because I loved last Spotlight.
And so, looking forward to kind of what’s coming to Overwatch.
Is there anything that you could maybe share, maybe tease?
I don’t know?
BEN BELL: So, Aaron talked a little bit about Spotlight next year.
And I think first I’d say we want every season to feel big, but we want to blow people away at Spotlight.
And it’s not going to be exactly the same formula as this year, but we’re going to bring some new gameplay, new heroes, things that people want and have asked for, and some things that are really, I think, going to surprise people, and they’re going to be excited by.
The thing about this team is we’re just so focused on players, and like the team is just so passionate about the game.
So, I think we’re going to blow people away.
AARON KELLER: It’s going to be really cool.
BEN BELL: And this is BlizzCon.
So we really wanted to make sure we showed up in a big way.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Ben, you mentioned the players.
This is your first BlizzCon, right?
What was it like announcing things in front of them, seeing them immediately jump on and play and enjoy these new characters and that.
BEN BELL: Yeah, it’s really humbling and awesome.
We do this to make people happy and to bring people together.
And I said it on stage, but it’s really true.
It’s totally inspirational to be here and see people out there.
We have this event called Play the Devs and just like seeing the interactions between players and our team, it’s amazing.
So I can’t wait to go down to the floor and see some more of it.
And I can’t wait to be at BlizzCon again in the future.
LINA MADRID: So, for folks who may have just seen the reveal, nothing else, who is Doctrine?
AARON KELLER: Okay, so Doctrine is Overwatch’s take or inspired by a vampire.
And you can kind of see it when you look at him.
And I do think when Overwatch is at its best, when we’re making our best heroes, you can look at them and just kind of understand what that fantasy is supposed to be.
You can take a look at Reinhardt, this medieval knight, or Mercy, who is like an angel.
And I think Doctrine kind of fits in with all of some of those greatest hits that we’ve made over the years.
And Doctrine is a support hero, which is maybe a little bit surprising because it’s a vampire and he’s a villain at the same time.
But he’s got this past that really fits in with him being a support and him dealing with the life energy of people.
So that person in that role of being able to decide whether somebody lives or dies is something that is integral to who he is as a character.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Do you want to talk to us a little bit about his kit?
We’ve been playing, and he’s got some really unique, very technical things, especially this one ability that can amp up any of his other abilities.
A lot of thinking going on in this character.
AARON KELLER: I think that’s what makes Doctrine so exciting.
So you can look at him and immediately understand the fantasy, but there is a lot of depth to his kit.
So first and foremost, it’s this is a first-person shooter, right?
So his weapon is his scepter, and it can actually both heal allies and damage enemies, but it is a very precise weapon.
So, just at the start, there’s high aim skill involved in playing Doctrine.
He has a dash where he can take reduced damage and get around the level a little bit.
He can send his drone out to allies and it heals them and it speeds up their attacks, but you’re right.
He has this ability that does transform everything else he does, and he actually has multiple charges of it available at any time.
So while there is a lot of skill involved with his other abilities, there’s a strategic element to Doctrine.
There’s a lot of high-level decision-making that you need to be doing because when you transform something like his dash, now you can fly.
So do you need to get to high ground?
Or if you transform his drones, it also speeds up your attacks and it starts healing you.
And if you empower his scepter, now it pierces people; you can finish people off in the back line, if you have enough awareness of what’s happening and can do something like that.
So I think that this is like a very high-skill cap hero when he’s being played right.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Very cool.
Alongside Doctrine, as a support main, like eating good, I’m going to get to use Sombra now?
AARON KELLER: Yes!
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: I would love to hear about both that and with Roadhog.
What are you aiming to do?
What are you hoping is the outcome from these reworks?
AARON KELLER: Yeah, so I think with both of those heroes, we’re calling them re-reworks because we have reworked these heroes multiple times over the years.
And one of the reasons why is because their kits have elements of them that are very sharp, that are also integral to the fantasy of who those characters are.
But with Sombra, we’re actually moving her role from DPS to support.
We recognize that we actually have to make a really big change to Sombra in order to get her to work out on the battlefield.
She still keeps her identity, she can still stealth.
She can still hack people’s abilities, but only by ulting now.
But she’s also going to be around the team more.
So if you have a Sombra on your team, you’re going to see the benefit that you get out of her all the time because she’s going to be around you healing you, while still having those moments where she gets to go off and do somber things for a little bit.
And then Roadhog, he’s got an ability now where he can actually absorb damage from the enemy team without just letting it hit his body.
So he can do that and he can absorb all of that.
We’ve also reduced the ability to get his one-shots off.
It’s going to be really difficult to do now, primarily because his primary fire now, it fires in a two-hit cadence.
So it’s boom, boom, to actually do it.
So you’ll pull people in, you can try to hit them with both.
It’s probably not going to take them out, and they have so much more time to actually be able to react to it.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Our warriors are going to be able to escape in between.
LINA MADRID: Yeah.
[inaudible]
And then, along with the new hero reveal, there was also a new map that came in.
And you’re going to have to help me with the pronunciation because — BEN BELL: It’s “Grímsvötn.” LINA MADRID: Thank you, Grímsvötn.
AARON KELLER: That’s better than I can do it.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah, I can [inaudible]
longer the hardest part.
AARON KELLER: Yeah, right.
LINA MADRID: So, what do we need to know about Overwatch’s trip to Iceland?
AARON KELLER: So, Grímsvötn or Watchpoint Grímsvötn is the highest security prison on the planet.
And it is where the most dangerous criminals have been locked away for years.
And actually, this is where Doomfist was imprisoned before he escaped and started leading talent again.
But this is where Doomfist met Doctrine, was in this prison and learned about him and recognized the talents and the abilities that Doctrine actually has.
The cool thing about this map: it’s an escort map, and you can see the aftermath of this battle that just took place there.
So, like at the end of that cinematic, where you see Doomfist take out that Sentinel robot.
That robot’s at the end of the map right there.
You can see the cell that Doomfist was locked away in.
And there’s all these other cool little Easter eggs and things, little hints and the other types of characters that we’ve had locked up in this prison.
LINA MADRID: Oh, the Easter eggs that you sprinkle out throughout the maps, love those.
So we need to keep our eyes out for those for sure.
BEN BELL: Yeah, very cool.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: We know you all have to run.
And so we just wanted to wrap up with one final question.
As we were looking through everything and we’re putting together blogs for XBOX Wire, we were looking at some of the images.
And I want to know: who is this?
Who is this?
LINA MADRID: Who is that?
AARON KELLER: Okay, so when we had Spotlight last year, we announced our five new heroes and we had silhouettes of everybody else and there’s been a lot of speculation on that character.
And we didn’t want to go through this whole BlizzCon without giving people at least a better glimpse of who they are.
So, right now, we can’t say anything else about them, but they’ve got a big part to play in the story that’s coming up next year.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: And they’ve got a cool hat.
AARON KELLER: And they’ve got a cool hat.
Yeah.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: I love that.
So we talked a little bit about the reworks of certain characters.
What do the characters themselves think about those reworks?
We’re asking them right now.
LINA MADRID: We have a very special bonus segment.
I’m joined by some of the cast of Overwatch.
Thank you guys for being here with me.
I’m so excited to kind of chat through why you’re here.
Yeah, so BlizzCon, the energy is phenomenal.
SPEAKER 1: It’s wild.
LINA MADRID: How are you all feeling kind of being in the midst of it?
SPEAKER 1: I’m too excited.
I couldn’t get to sleep yesterday because I was still pumping energy from it.
I was super, super excited.
My first time here, by the way.
Yeah.
SPEAKER 2: First time in America, first time at BlizzCon.
SPEAKER 1: I love the first times.
Yeah.
LINA MADRID: Yeah, yeah.
That’s exciting.
How about some of you who have been to BlizzCon before?
How’s this feeling a little different?
SPEAKER 3: I haven’t been to BlizzCon since many years ago.
And so coming back to it still feels just kind of as new as it did back then, and especially with what we’re doing this time, it feels super brand new.
Plus, the excitement of the 10-year anniversary of Overwatch is palpable, and I’m really excited about getting to celebrate that with everyone.
SPEAKER 4: We were in the elevator coming up to the press area, and we heard the crowd cheering, and it was insanely loud and exciting.
And it reminded me of when Sombra came out.
And I was oh, yep, it’s still a very unique feeling.
SPEAKER 5: I remember being here for the very first BlizzCon, for my guild meetup at the server meetups here, and I’ve been like almost every BlizzCon since then.
And so then to transition into the professional side of things has been very odd in its own right.
And now to come together with all these wonderful people to be doing such a grand stage experience like we’re doing on Sunday has been wild.
So, needless to say, the energy is palpable indeed.
LINA MADRID: Yeah, I mean, speaking of Sunday, you all are here for something extra special.
Westwatch, which the crowd went wild when that was announced.
I’m personally very excited to watch.
Could someone kind of give me a little spiel on what it is?
SPEAKER 5: Yeah, yeah.
Westwatch is a wonderful collaboration with the folks at Blizzard to do a two-hour actual play Dagger Heart game using the Dagger Heart system from Darrington Press.
We are going to be playing a tabletop game for two hours as our Overwatch characters, playing characters in the game.
So you’re basically watching a live game night improvised recreation of all these characters coming to Cassidy’s game night and then playing through the game as themselves as the characters that they made.
It’s going to be wild.
LINA MADRID: That is amazing.
SPEAKER 5: There’s also going to be some audience participation.
There’s going to be moments in the story where the audience can scan a QR code to change some of the course of the story.
If anybody drops to zero hit points, they could possibly see if the character lives or dies.
It’s going to be very, very cool.
LINA MADRID: Okay, the stakes are high then.
SPEAKER 5: Oh, yeah.
LINA MADRID: Yeah.
Wow, that’s awesome.
So, a lot of huge news for Overwatch that was announced.
A lot of reworks, character reworks, Sombra.
Yeah, a lot of people.
What?
What?
Am I going to not have to wake up in the middle of the night hearing your voice?
SPEAKER 6: Yeah, sorry.
I don’t know what that means, guys.
I’m excited, and I hope that I don’t get banned as much, maybe, for that reason.
LINA MADRID: Yes, I’ll stop banning you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER 6: But I almost feel like I was a Gemini and they’re telling me I’m going to be a Virgo or something.
My identity has changed.
I don’t know how to be support.
But we’ll see how the gamers are.
LINA MADRID: It’s really exciting, though.
Because then you’re using Sombra’s powers for good on your team.
SPEAKER 6: We’ll see.
I don’t know.
I’m excited to play.
Yeah.
LINA MADRID: Last question for you all.
We have a Season 5 coming, new voice lines that you have recorded.
Your favorite niche line.
I would love to hear that.
SPEAKER 2: I mean, I do it.
I kind of fall in love with him, and I get used to talking as him.
And I’ve been very lucky.
I do a lot of Make-A-Wish, and then you change the light in a child’s eyes when you just go to them, going, “You are my shield.
I am so proud to know you and you make me stronger.” So it’s not a line that’s in the game, but the voice affects somebody.
And ultimately, that should be what the job is about, is that we’re making you feel something.
So that’s just me.
Everybody else probably has something.
I’m a very old man.
So I talk in that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER 1: Are we supposed to go after that?
[ Laughter ]
Because I can basically answer the question, I was just being very kind.
I’m like the Phil Rosenthal of Overwatch.
Cookies are nice.
Everybody should have a cookie.
Hey, what’s your favorite cookie?
Like the question was not about cookies, Rhino.
Okay, I still like a cookie.
SPEAKER 5: A great transition to this, though, speaking of Make-A-Wish, is that the game that we are playing, the miniatures, the set pieces, signed posters, we have a lot of things that’ll be auctioned off after the game for Make-A-Wish.
So we’re doing it for fun, but we’re also doing it for charities.
LINA MADRID: That’s amazing.
SPEAKER 5: Everyone gets a chance to watch it.
Please check into any of the things that will be auctioned if you want to try and help and support them.
It’s some cool stuff.
LINA MADRID: Great.
Awesome.
Thank you so,so much.
SPEAKER 6: No, I’m not done with the line that doesn’t go.
I will.
LINA MADRID: Please.
SPEAKER 6: It’s one that never gets enough attention, and it’s like hacking a marshmallow.
And the one that I want in game, because Sombra quotes movies and stuff, is “You’re killing me, Smalls.” LINA MADRID: Come on!
SPEAKER 6: Wishes, just maybe it’s a wish list.
Make-A-Wish, wish list.
I’m connecting the two.
SPEAKER 5: I’m here for Sandlot references.
SPEAKER 3: I still just want Symmetra to say “dope.” LINA MADRID: Yes.
SPEAKER 3: I’d love for her to say that.
But I do love the line, “if I can think it, I can create it.” LINA MADRID: That’s a great one.
SPEAKER 1: I really love the line, “Let ambition flame burn and starve the enemy of blood.” Because I think that’s [inaudible]
SPEAKER 5: So cool.
SPEAKER 1: I would really love if there was a line, like something like, “They throw me amongst the wolf, and I came back as the alpha.” LINA MADRID: Yeah!
SPEAKER 3: You got someone back there nodding and cheering, you guys here.
SPEAKER 1: Yeah!
LINA MADRID: Amazing.
SPEAKER 5: You introduced yourself as like the nicest person ever.
And now you’re, I like the toxic one.
SPEAKER 1: Yes, I do.
SPEAKER 3: You’ve got to get it out of your system somewhere.
LINA MADRID: There we go.
SPEAKER 5: I was like, I hear you, pumpkin.
LINA MADRID: I love that one.
SPEAKER 5: It’s simple, but it’s great.
LINA MADRID: So good.
SPEAKER 3: Oh, I love hearing Cassidy call me perfect.
LINA MADRID: Thank you again so much for joining me.
And that wraps things up for Overwatch at BlizzCon 2026.
SPEAKER 2: Bye-bye.
LINA MADRID: My life is made.
[ XBOX sound ]