Roadhog

Lore & Background

Mako Rutledge lived in the Australian Outback in the period after the Omnic Crisis. The government of Australia, in an effort to make peace with the omnics, allowed them to take possession of the omnium and the territory around it, displacing the human residents. Mako and other angry humans formed the Australian Liberation Front (ALF) to strike against the omnium and the omnics that resided around it. In the end, the ALF overloaded the fusion core, destroying the omnium and turning the Outback into a radioactive wasteland, severely disfiguring Mako's face. Mako donned a mask and took to the broken highways on his chopper, forsaking his humanity little by little until he became a ruthless killer. He then joined up with Junkrat as his bodyguard, in exchange for half of whatever treasure the ex-Junker knew the location of. After the two were exiled from Junkertown by the Junker Queen for causing a string of problems for her, Roadhog and Junkrat decided to get back at her. They embarked on an international crime spree and became wanted criminals in many countries. Once their worldwide heist was complete, they returned to Junkertown with their loot to use to get back at the Junker Queen, but Junkrat blew their cover at the entrance, leaving them with nothing but a cart of goods, useless disguises, and a ticking explosive.

In Their Own Story

In the short story A Friendly Rivalry by Justin Groot, Gavin Jurgens Fyhrie, and Miranda Moyer, set after the events of the game's "Zero Hour" storyline, Roadhog and Junkrat were sentenced to be executed by Junker Queen for crimes against her settlement, and were required to fight her champion, Wrecking Ball. When Junkrat offered to lead her to a hidden treasure to save their lives, she accepted, and he led her to a hidden chamber. While the story does not say what they found, Junker Queen asked Wrecking Ball if he could "get it flying".

Reader's Guide

Roadhog wields a "Scrap Gun" that fires shrapnel in a mid-range automatic firing mode, or a short-range shotgun-like single shot. He also carries an NOS canister filled with "Hogdrogen" to self-heal ("Take a Breather"), and employs a "Chain Hook" to pull distant opponents towards him. His ultimate ability, "Whole Hog", allows him to put a top loader into his scrap gun, firing it in full auto mode with increased knockback, wider spread, and no need to reload. Within a November 2023 patch to Overwatch 2, Roadhog's kit was modified slightly. The Scrap Gun was made into a single firing mode that has both a short-range shotgun burst in addition to mid-range projectiles. Take a Breather was changed to be a resource-based healing mode, allowing the player to use as much stored Hogdrogen to heal Roadhog, along with a shorter cooldown period. Finally, a new second ability, "Pig Pen", was added, allowing Roadhog to lay down a trap that can slow and damage enemies that cross it, including those pulled in by Roadhog's Chain Hook.

Did You Know?

• Roadhog's "Toa" skin references Polynesian Māori culture and replicates a tribal outfit, with tattoos authenticated by a cultural tattoo artist who also ensured the correct number of feathers a warrior of that culture should wear in their headdress.
• His "Pachimarchi" skin was developed to highlight Roadhog's love for the squid-like onion plushies introduced in his introductory cinematic, and both the skin and plush were designed by David Kang.
• Roadhog's name Mako references the Maori word for shark, and his tattoos on the "Islander" and "Toa" skins were described as the "spitting image" of those particular to Māori culture.
• Blizzard received accusations of cultural appropriation for his "Toa" and "Islander" skins due to referencing imagery from Maori culture.
• Roadhog's belt buckle is a license plate reading "ROADR8GE".