Winston

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Winston is a 29-year-old genetically engineered gorilla formerly based in the Horizon Lunar Colony on the Moon. The colony was established by Lucheng Interstellar as part of humanity's space exploration, and some of its first inhabitants were genetically enhanced gorillas used in tests relating to prolonged space habitation. Due to rapid brain development from the experiment's gene therapy, Winston was taken under Dr. Harold Winston's wing, who taught him about science and inspired him about human ingenuity. The other gorillas soon led an uprising, killing the colony's scientists and claiming it as their own. Winston took the name of his caretaker, created a rocket, and flew to Earth, where he joined Overwatch. While in Overwatch, he designed and built the stabilizing device for the chronal accelerator—originally invented by Dr. Liao—which helped Tracer maintain control of her time after she suffered from a chronal dissociation that kept her from keeping a physical form in the present. Overwatch had already been disbanded before the Petras Act was passed following the Venice incident; the Act made any Overwatch-related activities illegal, rather than directly ending the organization. In the animated short Recall, Winston is seen recalling memories of his days in Overwatch and his extended Horizon Lunar Colony backstory, and fights back against an attack from Talon. At the end of the short, he initiates a recall in an effort to bring back Overwatch.

In Their Own Story

In the animated short Recall, Winston is at his home and laboratory when Talon agents attack, seeking to eliminate former Overwatch members. He fights back, using his memories of Dr. Harold Winston and his days on the Horizon Lunar Colony to fuel his resolve. After repelling the attack, he activates a global recall signal, hoping to reunite the scattered heroes. In the 2014 cinematic trailer for Overwatch, Talon agents Widowmaker and Reaper attempt to steal the Doomfist weapon. Winston and Tracer battle them, stopping the theft. In the comic Reflections (the tenth issue of Overwatch), a winter holiday-themed issue, Winston laments spending the holiday season alone until Tracer and her girlfriend Emily surprise him and spend the night celebrating. In Winston's Journey to the West, a tapestry-style comic released for the 2017 Year of the Rooster event, Winston recollects Dr. Harold Winston reading Journey to the West to him on the Horizon Lunar Colony, imagining himself as Sun Wukong, the Monkey King.

Reader's Guide

In Overwatch, Winston is classified as a Tank-class character, designed to absorb large amounts of damage while protecting teammates. He is intended as a dive or engage tank, meant to get behind the enemy's front line and do significant damage. He is armed with a tesla cannon that generates bolts of electricity that attach to and damage enemies within range as long as the firing button is held down. In Overwatch 2, the cannon gained a secondary firing mode that fires a beam of energy after holding the alternate firing button for a short period. His abilities include Jump Pack, which allows him to fly briefly into the air for increased maneuverability; Barrier Projector, which creates a bubble-shaped shield protecting himself and allies within its radius from outside attacks for a period of time; and his ultimate ability, Primal Rage, which requires charging before use. Once activated, Primal Rage causes Winston to fly into a berserk rage for a period of time, swinging his arms as his primary attack while Jump Pack's cooldown is drastically reduced. Enemies hit by his attacks are moved from their current position while he is in this state.

Did You Know?

• Winston stands approximately 7 feet 3 inches (221 cm) tall, though normally is crouched at 5 ft 7 in (170 cm).
• Crispin Freeman voices Winston in English-language media, with his voice pitched down for the character.
• Winston's 'Explorer' skin gives him a safari-themed outfit and handlebar mustache, tying into his love for exploration and discovery.
• In the original pitch meeting image for Overwatch, Winston's weapon was described as a flak shotgun.
• Players who purchased the Origins Edition of Overwatch receive a 'baby Winston' battle pet in World of Warcraft, based on his appearance in the Recall cinematic.