The next damage dealer in Overwatch 2 is trading bullets for hard-light steel. Hero 45, known as Vendetta, enters a limited-time Hero Trial starting November 26, 2025, bringing a surprisingly high-skill melee kit to the DPS roster.
Melee Combat with a High Skill Floor
Usually, when we see melee-focused heroes in Overwatch 2, they lean toward accessibility or tankiness—think Reinhardt's broad swings or Brigitte's flail. Vendetta is breaking that mold. Blizzard describes her as a swift, lethal gladiator who wields a massive hard-light sword called the Palatine Fang.
What makes this interesting for the current meta is the developer commentary regarding her difficulty. Despite being a melee character, the team emphasized that Vendetta requires "precise aiming" to maximize her damage combos. This suggests her sword strikes might function more like precision skill shots or require specific spacing mechanics, rather than the wide cleave we're used to. If you were hoping for an easy-to-play brawler, you might want to reconsider; she is designed with a high skill floor in mind.
A True Villain Enters the Fold
The narrative team is finally giving us an unapologetic villain. Vendetta is the daughter of Antonio Bartalotti—a name lore nerds will recognize from the Retribution event. Her design creates a clear "villain" silhouette, moving away from heavy armor to a more agile, gladiator-inspired look that fits her codename, "La Lupa" (The She-Wolf).
Her motivations are strictly about reclaiming her birthright and vengeance, tying Italian lore and Roman Empire motifs directly into her kit and voice lines. It's a refreshing shift to have a character driven by personal vendetta rather than global ideology, adding some much-needed grit to the Talon side of the roster.
When can I play Vendetta?
You can test Vendetta's kit during the Hero Trial starting Tuesday, November 26, 2025. As with previous trials, she will likely be available in all non-competitive modes, giving you a few days to figure out her combo mechanics before her full release.