The new hero and the new Animated Short were big and wonderful news for Overwatch fans. The new map is full of fascinating features from other Blizzard games, and Moira, the new Support hero, is a unique hero that can heal and deal damage at the same time.

What is the future of Overwatch that the devs are working on? Below is an interview with Chacko Sonny, the Production Director for Overwatch.

Q. The new animated short features Reinhardt when he was younger and Eichenwalde in the past. Were you planning to release this animated short when you made the Crusader skin for Reinhardt?

Michael Chu, our lead writer, has some wonderful ideas on new maps and heroes. We make new content based on these ideas. We already had a story of young Reinhardt during his days as the Crusader, and decided to release an animated short based on that story.

Q. Moira was introduced without any teasers or hints. What was the reason for this surprise reveal?

We introduced some heroes with teasers, and it was successful. But for Moira, we had a great chance to introduce her at the BlizzCon and a lot of players have been asking for a Support hero. We are glad that we could meet the community’s need. We are also glad that we were able to introduce Moira and other new content for Overwatch in this big stage.

Q. Where can we get the new Blizzard skins?

The Blizzard skins will be released early next year, and will be available in the base lootbox.

Q. What are the factors that make Moira different from other Support heroes?

Michael Chu and Arnold Tsang said that we already have some benevolent Support heroes like Mercy, Lucio, and Zenyatta and need a dark and shady hero. Moira is a dark hero that can heal and deal damage at the same time. If you Biotic Grasp on allies, it will heal them. If you use it on enemies, it will deal damage. Biotic Orb also works the same. Coalescence, Moira’s ultimate, is a skill that heals and deals damage at the same time. Moira shows some unique gameplay and can be used in different situations.

Q. Moira seems hard to play. Would you like to add a comment on that?

Players have tested on Moira today and might have different impressions on her. Some of them might feel the same way as we do, and others might not. Prediction and reasoning is crucial in playing Moira. You must know what other players are doing in order to play Moira well. It is important to know when to heal and when to attack, when to get close, and when to use ranged attacks. Moira’s Biotic Orb bounces as it reaches a wall, so it’s better to use the skill against an enemy in a room. Also, you can heal allied ranged dps characters like Pharah. Fade will make you disappear for a moment. You can either escape or engage with the skill. We will receive feedback via the PTR and will make changes to Moira if necessary.

Q. Moira was a former agent of Blackwatch, and now works for Talon. How important is Moira in the main story?

Moira’s origin story reveals her past, but we do not know yet what kind of roles she will play in Overwatch’s main story. She is not interested in Talon’s goals; all she cares about is science. Moira will stay in Talon as long as she can continue with her research without worrying about any ethical issues.

Q. Are you going to make the skins in the new animated short?

Great idea. I can’t tell you right now but I’ll share this idea with others.

Q. Is Balderich from Honor and Glory a member of Overwatch?

Balderich got the Overwatch badge that he has in the cinematic when he was called by Overwatch. Balderich was supposed to join Overwatch, but the incident in the cinematic happened, and Reinhardt joined Overwatch in his place.

Q. Is Moira expected to fix some issues that Overwatch currently has?

We are always paying attention to what the community wants, and the community has been asking for a Support hero. Also, the devs are working on the concept and prototypes of many different heroes. We thought it was the right moment to release Moira.

Q. What is the most impressive part of the new map, Blizzard World?

That you can meet all Blizzard games in one place. Our devs have been enjoying different Blizzard games, and some of them have been working for another game before they started developing Overwatch. That’s why we could implement so much details in Blizzard World. The company Blizzard and its games exist in the Overwatch universe (for example, D.Va is a StarCraft 6 Champion.) It’s interesting to have Blizzard World in the Overwatch universe.

Q. With the addition of Jundertown, there are 4 maps in each category. Now that we will have Blizzard World, we will have one more hybrid map. What type of map are you planning to add next?

Like Heroes of the Storm, we develop multiple maps at the same time. We don’t develop a particular map on purpose. We take multiple factors into consideration (what the community wants, lore of the map, and how well the map can fit into the game) and decide which map will be released first. We are working on 3 to 4 maps right now, and are always thinking about new content. For example, we released a new map when we released the Deathmatch mode. New game modes that are going come out in the future will feature new maps, or renewed old maps.

Q. Would you tell me how the gameplay in Blizzard World is going to be?

There are a lot of health packs on the path to the first point, so the attackers will have some more advantage. There is a big statue in the middle, so players can check on enemies using this statue or hide behind it. The route to the first checkpoint has plenty of spots where you can take the high ground. There are tons of easter eggs in the map. If you are a fan of Blizzard, you will enjoy the map. For example, on the door near the entrance, there is a number written on it. The number, 131, is the address of the very first office of Blizzard. There are tons of easter eggs like this all around the map. Another easter egg is Snaxramas, which is named after Naxxramas. We think this is a funny easter egg.

Q. Some people want new heroes to be added faster. When can we meet the next hero?

We have 26 heroes right now, and working on the hero balance takes a lot of time. Overwatch has fewer people who work on development, and all of us believe that all hero must be perfect. We develop multiple heroes at the same time, and decide on which hero will be released first. We are trying to release more heroes as fast as possible while trying to make them flawless at the same time. The team that work on development tools made a tool for us to create the prototypes of different heroes, and a lot of heroes are being tested right now. Prototypes of 3 to 4 heroes are in the pipeline right now.

Q. A lot of people really like the Overwatch cinematics. Is there any plan to make a movie or a long animation?

Great idea. We want to see a longer animation as well. That is a wonderful idea.

Q. Last year’s seasonal event like Lucioball and Junkenstein’s Revenge was back this year. Are you going to release more arcade modes like them or add something like Junkenstein’s Revenge: Endless Night?

We are always working on new content, and are testing on many new things including game modes. We just don’t tell everything to the public. The most important thing is to make sure players enjoy the new content, and to rework the old content so players can enjoy them again. Unfortunately, we cannot share any further information regarding this issue.

Q. In the trailer for Moira, there was a scene where Moira was genetically altering Gabriel Reyes’s body. Is Moira the reason why Gabriel Reyes became the Reaper?

Reyes and Moira are very close. Reyes is the one who recruited Moira into Blackwatch, and Moira’s Fade is very similar to Reaper’s Wraith Form. The fact that Moira’s left and right arms look different from each other has something to do with Reaper too. Moira and Reaper have very strong connection.

Q. Any last words for your fans out there?

I want you to enjoy the new features like Crusader Reinhardt and Echopoint Mei skins. Feedback and suggestions from you are very important, and we are listening to them. We want everyone to enjoy every features including Competitive Play, and will work towards that goal. We cannot share many details regarding the upcoming updates, but we are always listening to our player base. Please show continued support and love for Overwatch. Thank you!