Highlights
The latest addition to Overwatch 2 Season 7 is the Samoa Control map, which showcases an embassy symbolizing the Polynesian League. This alliance aims to address the pressing issue of climate change and its impact on the nations of Polynesia.
The embassy dialogue unveils that the Polynesian League made significant investments in education and a Coral Restoration Initiative. This initiative led to the development of Super Coral, specialized coral that effectively purifies the oceans and expands throughout the Pacific region.
The inclusion of Hawaii within the Polynesian League implies its autonomy from the United States. This, in turn, presents exciting opportunities for delving deeper into the game's backstory.
In Overwatch 2 Season 7, a fan made an exciting discovery regarding the rich history of Polynesia, Samoa, and the oceans within the world of Overwatch. This intriguing lore can be experienced within one of the structures found in the newly introduced Samoa map.
While Overwatch 2 Season 7 brought numerous exciting additions to the game, such as a new PvE game mode and a revamp for Sombra, one of the most significant gameplay enhancements was the inclusion of the Samoa Control map. This fresh addition has been incorporated into the available map rotation for Quick Play and Competitive matches.
However, fan and lore enthusiast Portergauge made an intriguing discovery in the Samoa map of Overwatch 2. Within one of the areas lies an embassy building adorned with statues symbolizing New Zealand, Hawaii, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. Visitors to this structure are provided with a voiceover that recounts a historical account and reveals that these islands and several others joined forces to establish the Polynesian League in response to the imminent danger posed by global warming and pollution. Below is the transcript of the dialogue from Portergauge's Overwatch 2 clip regarding the Polynesian League:
Decades prior to the Omnic Crisis, the world faced significant damages caused by climate change. Countries in Polynesia, like Samoa, were particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, pollution, and ocean acidification. When their advocacy efforts with the United Nations proved to be ineffective, the Polynesian nations formed the Polynesian League. Their goal was to combine resources and political power in order to survive the challenges they faced.
The Polynesian League took action by investing in education and scientific projects. One of their most controversial yet successful endeavors was the Coral Restoration Initiative, which led to the creation of Super Coral. These polyps had the remarkable ability to grow rapidly by converting carbon and waste into food. Over the years, Super Coral spread across the Pacific Ocean, playing a crucial role in cleaning the waters.
This revelation about the Polynesian League and the impact of Super Coral is a monumental addition to the lore of Overwatch 2. While much of the lore in the game focuses on the events leading up to the Omnic Crisis, there has been little coverage of the time period between modern history and the crisis, particularly in relation to Polynesia. This is the first time players have learned about the existence of the Polynesian League and the Super Coral's role in purifying the oceans for generations.
Furthermore, the inclusion of Hawaii in the Polynesian League suggests that it successfully seceded from the United States at some point. This intriguing lore development opens the door for further exploration in the future.
Samoa also holds various other secrets. In Overwatch 2, players have come across an apartment that belongs to Mauga, who is Baptiste's former partner and a top contender to become the next Tank hero. Many fans speculate that this Easter egg could be hinting at Mauga's role as the new hero, and some wonder if the Polynesian League will play a part in his backstory.
Thankfully, fans won't have to wait for too long to uncover the truth. Overwatch 2 has confirmed that the new tank hero will be revealed during BlizzCon on November 3. Regardless of whether Mauga ends up being the next hero or not, this newfound lore about Samoa and the Polynesian League has generated excitement among fans who are eager to delve deeper into the Overwatch universe.
Overwatch 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.