Delegating who to include in a video game's title is a rather tedious task, however, the majority of game developers must face up to this challenge. Blizzard, renowned for their in-depth character personas and lore, are no strangers to this, as the current lineup within Overwatch 2 reflects their meticulous, yet prudent decisions to create a balanced, story-enriched cast.
Numerous factors must be considered in giving the go-ahead for heroes. Some of these include their heritage within the established family's storyline, their overall skill set and what they bring to the title, their general playability in and out of competitive standards, and even their relevance to issues outside the gaming industry. Regardless, these cut-off applicants snuck their way into the title one way or another, through hero re-works, all the way to totally altered variations.
10 Hivemind
Prior to the lucrative launch of Overwatch, Blizzard's failed video game concept 'Titan' had sparked the stepping-stones for a contemporary title, 'Prometheus'. Withholding many elements players see in today's Overwatch, Prometheus exhibited a wide variety of hero ideas, many of which are seen within the current roster's abilities.
Hivemind holds a few aspects fans may notice within Blizzard's title, one of which bears a resemblance to Moira's facial structure. Although the connection to her isn't official, some players agree her features may have stemmed from this fascinating concept. Concerning visual appearances, Hivemind's bulky head armor could have also propelled the influence in a current hero design, Sigma. Despite his unfortunate blockade from entering the game, his name lives on through his shockingly similar hacking abilities seen in Sombra.
9 Huntress
Regarding altered variations of heroes, Huntress takes the crown. Blizzard's development team saw an opportunity during the creation of Overwatch, utilizing this Prometheus-based hero design for the birth of the renowned Hanzo.
Although appearances may not align, and despite the crossbow being ditched, Huntress bears almost identical abilities cherished fans see in Hanzo's loadout. Her 'Multishot' ability was eventually reworked into Hanzo's overpowering 'Scatter-Arrows', which would later be removed to make way for his 'Storm Arrows' ability. Nevertheless, her refused release ultimately proved successful.
8 McCloud
As the name and face paint suggest, McCloud is a hero concept of Scottish nationality, contrasting other character concepts. Admittedly, McCloud holds no relations within the concurrent cast available to players, yet opposing this would be his easter-egg features within various map designs.
The ability 'Stampede' could possibly suggest the appearance of a horse, which is further emphasized by Blizzard throughout the escort map 'King's Row'. Curious fans are able to view a painting of a Scottish clan, seemingly led by McCloud on horseback, in the second attack spawn, 'Ascalon Club'. In defiance of being rejected, McCloud still dons the halls of Overwatch maps alike.
7 Praetor
In terms of unreleased DPS (damage per second) heroes, Praetor can be seen as the foundation for the emergence of Soldier: 76. Sharing almost identical abilities, Praetor's Prometheus-set release was harnessed to create, what some players would argue, one of the most effective characters within Overwatch's roster.
Boasting skill sets such as 'Tri-Grenade' and 'Hunter Visor', this alluring concept would eventually make its way into the title through a hero alteration. Both abilities can be spotted through Soldier: 76's loadout, with his piercing 'Helix-Grenade' and pinpoint 'Tactical Visor', prompting fans to benefit from Blizzard's failed concoction.
6 Frost
Like most of Blizzard's MMOs, earth elements are utilized within character personas as a way of introducing various dynamics and playstyles within the title. Overwatch makes no exception to this. The hero Mei conjures elements of snow and ice within the admired franchise, arguably having stemmed from the early, yet awesome, concept design that is Frost.
Fans of the quirky hero mobilize her 'Ice Wall' ability, blocking off enemies from their teammates and creating room for easy picks. While it isn't a direct confirmation from Blizzard, many players would contest the fact the unfortunate exclusion of Frost later paved the way for Mei's overall triumph within the title.
5 Firestarter
Continuing with the elemental theme, the Prometheus-bound concept Firestarter was among the forefront heroes destined for the failed title's release. As the name suggests, his fiery skill set posed a rather chaotic threat to the enemy team, but sadly failed to make the initial cut.
Despite this, and though unclear if true, his disruptive elemental abilities could have aided Blizzard's development team in birthing the hero Torbjorn. The molten state that Torbjorn phases into could be a direct link between the unreleased fantasy and the playable Swedish charm fans have grown to love.
4 Troy
With his destructive kit and futuristic look, Troy is hailed by numerous fans as one of the earliest inspirations for Torbjorn's daughter Brigitte. Bearing virtually identical loadouts, Troy's design unofficially led Blizzard into creating the 27th hero within Overwatch and implementing a much-needed support character.
Adjusting the abilities' names slightly granted Brigitte a powerful emergence into the franchise, utilizing her 'Whip Shot' to forcefully displace her enemies. Although conceptually created as a DPS hero, Troy's name lives on through the supportive, yet efficient Brigitte.​​​​​​​
3 Mama Hong
Debatably the most controversial hero concept for the Overwatch launch would be that of Mama Hong. With strong links to stereotypes such as authoritative Asian women, it was a no-brainer Blizzard decided to leave this one out, as it could have potentially caused an uproar within the community.
Vaguely presenting her abilities, being that of 'Manslaughter', a definitive conclusion to having no relationship with today's Overwatch franchise can be drawn up. However, some fans pose strong feelings regarding her implementation of the prized hero pool already accessible.
2 Jetpack Cat
Overwatch prizes itself on unique and abstract hero concepts, ranging from a barbaric laser-wielding Russian, all the way to a miniature hamster that controls a moving ball. That being said, unphased fans were dismayed to find out that they could've driven a jetpack as a cat.
With later iterations of pet-based hero designs, Blizzard's conscious choice to cut Jetpack Cat from the initial release of Overwatch came with a heavy heart, feeling as though it disrupted the overall feel of the title. Despite this upset, the furry friend still lives on within the lore of Torbjorn and Brigitte, as it was revealed by Blizzard that their pet cat was once used by Brigitte to test the armor she built, striking players with the ever-lasting hope that one day, their treasured desires of this hero coming to life sees light.
1 Mauga
Frequently mentioned within the Overwatch comics, Mauga is a reoccurring theme throughout Overwatch lore. His strong ties to Baptiste's origin story have consistently left fans eager to see his release, hopeful of his tank-like abilities crushing the enemy team.
Swapped at the last moment for the release of Sigma, Mauga has not been entirely cut from the game but rather teased for an introduction further down the line. This Talon-related persona portrays all attributes a tank retains, having fans adore the thought of his overdue implementation within the title.