Overwatch's new mech hero D.Mon wields sword and shield, avoiding D.Va's messy code

Overwatch is getting a new tank hero, D.Mon, who differs from her predecessor D.Va not just in abilities but in technical design. Lead hero producer Kenny Hudson told PC Gamer that D.Mon is "actually one entity" in the game's code, unlike D.Va, who effectively transforms into a separate character when she exits her mech.

Back in 2018, game director Aaron Keller described D.Va's programming to Kotaku as a "plate of spaghetti," which led to numerous bugs and strange issues. With D.Mon, Blizzard chose a different approach: despite the ability to separate from her mech, the character remains a single unit. Hudson noted this required extra work on animations but will ultimately make fixing bugs and adding future content easier for the team.

In terms of gameplay, D.Mon resembles a successor to Reinhardt. She holds the frontline with an energy sword and shield and can charge straight into enemies. Unlike the fast-moving D.Va, the new hero stays anchored to the ground, though she can dash in any direction using a limited fuel resource. A mounted machine gun on her shoulder allows long-range fire before closing in with her shield. With the shield up, she becomes a slightly faster Reinhardt with a bonus charge ability that knocks enemies back or off ledges.

Her ultimate, Limit Break, delivers a spinning sword slash that tears open a weakness on every hit, making enemies take increased damage, while also granting her a large chunk of overhealth. Hudson said she's dangerous in team compositions that can trample enemies quickly and pairs well with high-damage heroes who can capitalize on her ult's debuff. D.Mon debuts in Overwatch season 4 next week.