A day closer to Overwatch’s seasonal event, ‘Retribution’, and we were pleasantly surprised by a brand new skin today. This time, featuring our favorite primate, the peanut butter loving Winston. Labeled as ‘Specimen 28 Winston’, this skin will be available for purchase or obtainable via lootboxes for a limited time along with other season-exclusive skins revealed earlier including Scion Hanzo, Talon Sombra, Talon Doomfist and pajama & fluffy slippers-wearing Mei a.k.a Pajamei.

Overwatch Archives file located…
Subject identified: SPECIMEN 28 WINSTON

File content available for download in t-minus: 1 day pic.twitter.com/6dNXwQDu6J

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) April 10, 2018

But one detail stood out with this Winston skin – the number 28. As you’d know, we currently have 27 confirmed heroes in Overwatch following Brigette’s recent addition. However there are several other characters that have been teased in the past but are yet to make it to the live roster. Considering Specimen 28 Winston is clad in his Horizon Lunar Colony suit prior to his escape to Earth, is this a  tease for the next Overwatch hero? A bit farfetched? Ok read on.

Granted that Winston has always been known as Specimen 28 during his days on the moon, it would be interesting if this is Blizzard’s way of telling us that the 28th Overwatch hero is just around the corner and is closely related to Winston.

A younger gorilla, Hammond comes to mind.  For the uninitiated, following the tragedy on the installation on the moon, Hammond was the only specimen from the Lunar Colony that is unaccounted for, other than Winston of course.

Not this one …

This theory also carry some weight, considering how Blizzard have no qualms in introducing new heroes that change how their game is played. For example – the prevalence of Mercy led to the introduction of Moira and more recently, Brigette is seen as a crowd control hero that is a perfect foil to dive heroes which coincidentally, has Winston as the must-pick hero to work.

What if Hammond, a.k.a Hero 28 is the anti-Winston. Possibly a less mobile, closer to Orisa’s traits but focused on a melee kit. Currently we are only limited to two close-ranged melee tanks – Reinhardt and the more agile Winston so surely Blizzard would want to increase the size of that pool, right?  Makes total sense if you ask me.

What do you think? As usual, you are more than welcomed to share your thoughts in the comments section.