Crafting Overwatch 2's Samoan Hero: A Journey of Cultural Representation

The world of video games has few Samoan characters, but Blizzard Entertainment has added to this list with Mauga, the 39th hero in Overwatch 2. As one of the few Oceania characters in a AAA title, Mauga brings a unique perspective to the game. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Overwatch lead hero producer Kenny Hudson discussed the development process of Mauga, from concept to completion. The character was first introduced in late 2023, but his development began in 2018. Hudson explained that the team started working on Mauga immediately after seeing concept art and narrative influences that they found inspiring. The goal was to create a gameplay kit that would justify the character's likability and meet the community's expectations. Initially, the team explored different directions for Mauga, but his development took a backseat as they focused on creating Sigma, another character in the game. However, this detour ultimately led to the creation of a new character, and Hudson believes that the brainstorming sessions were beneficial in the long run. The development of Mauga was also impacted by the pandemic, which changed the team's work structure and delayed the character's rollout. To address this, the team made the decision to swap Mauga's release date with that of Ramattra, another character in the game. This swap allowed the team to dedicate more time to Mauga's development, ensuring that the character met their standards. Hudson noted that the team's schedules for creating heroes are typically long, providing ample time for development and feedback. The team worked with cultural consultants, including artist Si'i Liufau, to ensure that Mauga's cultural representation was accurate and respectful. Liufau, a certified master Samoan tattoo artist, helped the team create authentic tattoos for the character, which was a challenging but important aspect of his design. Hudson emphasized the importance of avoiding harmful stereotypes when developing characters from diverse backgrounds. The team made a conscious effort to create a positive and respectful representation of Samoan culture in Mauga. During the development process, the team gathered feedback from players who had the opportunity to try out Mauga during a free trial period. This feedback was invaluable in fine-tuning the character and making necessary balance changes. One unexpected aspect of the feedback was the community's reaction to Mauga's voice lines, which sparked a large Reddit thread discussing their meaning. Hudson was pleased to see the community engage with the character on this level, and it reinforced the team's decision to create a character that would resonate with players. In retrospect, Hudson views the development of Mauga as a valuable learning experience, not only in terms of creating a new character but also in exploring a new culture. He believes that the team's efforts to create an authentic and respectful representation of Samoan culture have paid off, and he is proud of the final result.