Overwatch hero Orisa to join game's roster 'later in March' following extended test run

Jeff Kaplan reveals extended testing period for new Tank class hero.

Orisa Overwatch — Orisa adds another unique look to the Overwatch cast. Blizzard

Overwatch's new playable hero Orisa won't join the wider game following a stint in public testing until "later this month", the hit shooter's director Jeff Kaplan has revealed on the Overwatch community forum.

Orisa, a new Tank class hero, was announced last week after months of anticipation and speculation. The character, a four-legged android, has since been playable on Overwatch's Public Test Realm (PTR) server on PC.

"We're leaving Orisa on the PTR for a little while. We're getting great feedback and fixing a lot of issues," he wrote.

"I know this feels a little longer than other PTR periods, but we think it will be for the better. We know how anxious you all are to have Orisa join your ranks... and she will soon... but most likely she will go live later in the month rather than this early."

The PTR allows Blizzard to see Orisa in action and tweak her abilities and power before she's unleashed on the wider public game for PS4, Xbox One and PC. For example, the capacity of her primary weapon was recently been reduced.

Orisa's abilities sound like they will have a big impact on how Overwatch plays, so it makes sense Blizzard will want to fine tune her before sending her out into the wild.

The character's primary weapon is a rapid-fire Fusion Driver. Her abilities are Fortify, which protects her from enemy attacks and abilities; Halt, an energy weapon that stops enemies in their tracks and draws them toward a single point; and a Protective Barrier she's able to place anywhere on the map. Her ultimate ability is Supercharger, a device that when dropped near allies will boost their damage.

The fear is that introducing such abilities without first tuning them could potentially bring imbalance to what has, since its launch last May, been an impressively well-balanced hero-based shooter.

Alongside the recent announcement, Blizzard released a short animation outlining Orisa's origin, which includes an attack from Doomfist (a character once expected to be the 24th hero) and a young girl repairing and augmenting a downed android - creating Orisa.