Overwatch Confirms Doctrine As Its 9th Hero At BlizzCon 2026

Overwatch Officially Announces Doctrine, Its New Vampire-Inspired Support Hero Published Sep 12, 2026, 2:06 PM EDT Allyson Cochran is an Editor at TheGamer who has worked as a journalist since 2020 and in games journalism since 2022. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and focuses primarily on guides, previews, and developer interviews, with particular expertise in cozy indie games and live-service FPS titles. She has interviewed numerous game directors, including those of games like Overwatch and Dead by Daylight. Allyson has written and edited thousands of guides, and she genuinely loves every minute of it. Sign in to your TheGamer account Overwatch has officially revealed its ninth hero, Doctrine, at BlizzCon 2026's opening ceremony. The vampire-inspired Support hero is set to play a major role in the next chapter of Overwatch's story, with an especially close connection to Doomfist. He arrives next month in Season 5, and the hero trial is available now. Doctrine Is Key To Overwatch's Next Story Doctrine was revealed alongside the third act of Overwatch's latest cinematic, which centers on Doomfist. While Blizzard has not revealed everything about Doctrine's abilities just yet, they describe the new Support as a high-skill-floor hero capable of dealing significant damage while also providing substantial healing. That combination should make Doctrine a particularly demanding hero to master. Rather than sitting behind their team and keeping everyone's health topped up, they appear designed to play a much more central role in fights. This is also Blizzard finally giving players the vampire character they have been asking for. The idea of a vampire-inspired Overwatch hero has been floating around the community for years. Overwatch has never exactly been shy about spooky character designs, and Doctrine takes that aesthetic in a considerably more literal direction. Their connection to Doomfist also makes the character's arrival particularly interesting from a narrative perspective. Blizzard says Doctrine will be "very central" to what's coming next in the Overwatch story. Personally, I am happy that Overwatch players finally got their vampire character. We have been asking for this for ages, Blizzard. Plus, what better time to finally get our vampire Support than just in time for Halloween? Spooky! Released August 10, 2023 ESRB Teen / Violence, Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) Developer(s) Blizzard Publisher(s) Blizzard OVERWATCH®, A FUTURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future. Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes. Reign of Talon - Season 1: Conquest The Next Big Story Begins The world shifts as 2026 begins a year-long narrative arc where Overwatch and Talon face off in the fight for the future, joined by five new Heroes at once. Step into the story and shape what comes next! After ten years, Season 1 opens the first chapter of Overwatch's next big story, where your choices will put you right into the fight for the future! For the first time, five new Heroes hit the roster together, bringing new playstyles, new dynamics, and new voices into the fray all at once. Jet Pack Cat, Anran, Domina, Emre, and Mizuki arrive just in time for Reign of Talon: Conquest, launching a year-long narrative where conflict takes center stage and you contribute to how it unfolds. Choose where you stand as Overwatch and Talon collide in a faction-driven event with outcomes that will leave visible marks on the world and your legacy. Along the way, Competitive gets a refresh and Core gameplay evolves, changing how things feel across the board. This season sets a fresh tone for how the Overwatch story is told and how you play it. Genre(s) Shooter, FPS, MOBA, Multiplayer