7. Zenyatta and Tekhartha Mondatta and Sting
We all know Zenyatta as the playable Support Hero: the Omnic Monk, formerly a member of the Shambali. A group of Omnic Monks who believe that despite having Artificial Intelligence, they also possess a soul. The former leader of the Shambali was Tekhartha Mondatta, who was ultimately assassinated by Widowmaker.
Zenyatta Mondatta is the name of the 1980s studio album by The Police, featuring the hit single “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.” We're struggling to find connections between Zenyatta, Tekhartha Mondatta, and the Police, but any Overwatch and Police fan has to appreciate this easter egg.
6. A Refreshing Glass of Dr.Boom
The first spawn point on Attack on Route 66 is the The Panorama Diner - which features countless easter eggs - but one particularly interesting one is found on the soda fountain. Looking closely you will find a Zerg StarCraft symbol and a delicious looking beverage called Dr.Boom.
Dr.Boom is a reference to a World of Warcraft NPC and also a Legendary card in Hearthstone.
5. Lights, Kilrogg, Action!
Another nod to World of Warcraft (of which there are many in Overwatch), on the Hollywood map there are several cameras that feature the name “Kilrogg,” referencing Kilrogg Deadeye, a significant character in World of Warcraft lore.
Kilrogg Deadeye was a Warrior and Cheiftan of the Orcish Bleeding Hollow clan. The name ‘Deadeye” was given to him as he lost his left eye. Naming a single scoped camera after a one-eyed Orc seems so perfectly Blizzard. And if you haven’t noticed, one of the Kilrogg cameras actually follows the payload after you capture the first point.
4. Lost and Confused Vikings
Another nod to a fellow Blizzard game, this time yet another homage in Overwatch to The Lost Vikings, a game and franchise released in the early 1990s for Super NES. On the Blizzard World map (which is, in itself, one giant easter egg) you can visit the lost and found area of the park called “Lost and Found Vikings” which would be an easter egg in itself -- but it goes deeper.
The lost and found sign features all three Vikings, but they’re each standing a little awkwardly and holding slips of paper for some reason. Any memelord would be able to tell right away what these pos were trying to emulate: the three main poses that John Travolta strikes in the internet-famous “Confused Travolta” meme.
The three Vikings have been rearranged to mimic Confused Travolta perfectly, which makes this easter egg the best example of Blizzard’s affinity for internet culture. And memes.
3. Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!
Just outside of the first spawn room on Defence Hanamura is the Rikimaru Ramen Shop. The mascot of the restaurant is a Murloc - a very prominent and popular character race in World of Warcraft.
Murlocs are known for many things, living by the water, wielding spears, getting picked on ceaselessly by leveling World of Warcraft players, but perhaps most notably is the sound they make, which usually sounds like, “Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!”
If you’d like to hear it, all you have to do is shoot into the mouth of the giant Murloc mascot in the spaceship on the side of the restaurant!
2. Nothing But Net
When you find yourself and your team spawned in the Overwatch aircraft the MV-261 Orca, you’ll notice lots of things to interact with and to look at. Including a basketball net and plenty of balls. Naturally, players want to shoot some hoops while they wait for the match to begin, and before a significant patch was released back in 2016, when you sunk a basket nothing would happen.
Nowadays when you manage to actually get a ball through the hoop, you are rewarded with confetti and celebratory sound effects! This feat is not easy, however, and takes a lot of practice - good luck!
1. Dennis "INTERNETHULK" Hawelka Memorial
We're ending on a somber note, but perhaps the most important easter egg is the recent addition to the Eichenwalde map. Inside the attack spawn room is a small shelf on the wall with a lit candle and a flower. There is a poster hanging behind the shelf and written on the poster is a heart with the initials I, D, and H.
This is a memorial for Dennis "INTERNETHULK" Hawelka, a German Overwatch coach and pro player who tragically died at the age of 30. The memorial is a beautiful tribute to someone who spent so much time investing in the game, its players and the community.
Photos courtesy of Blizzard
This article was brought to you by Ready Player One, in theaters this March. Watch the trailer below:
