Summary
An eagle-eyedOverwatch 2player discovers a curious detail about Junkrat’s Riptire ability, as pinging it after it explodes shows the icon of a popularOverwatchmeme instead of the tire itself. Despite years of updates and countless hours logged by players,Overwatch 2continues to surprise with quirky details hidden in plain sight.
Overwatch 2’s ping system is a tool that allows teammates to communicate more easily. This feature lets them call out specific enemies, positions, or abilities without relying on voice or text chat, by simply pressing a button.Overwatch 2’s ping system has been praised for its accessibility and versatility, as it easily gives players new ways to interact within the game. An entertaining clip showedhow crucial pings can be inOverwatch 2to make quick callouts, sometimes turning the tides of events during a team fight.
An eagle-eyed player known as ZappsWorld on Reddit noticed an interesting quirk withOverwatch 2’s ping system. When players ping Junkrat’s tire after it explodes, the icon displayed isn’t the Riptire itself. Instead, it’s the “Punch Kid,” a familiar face fromOverwatch’s early days that also exists as a spray in-game. The icon depicts a cartoonish child mid-punch, which some fans speculate is a placeholder that Blizzard never replaced. Since the Riptire no longer exists after its explosion, the “Punch Kid” could be the default icon used when players ping an element that doesn’t currently exist in their game.
Junkrat’s Riptire Ping Icon Makes Overwatch 2 Players Scratch Their Heads
The “Punch Kid” image first appeared in the originalOverwatchcinematic trailer released in 2014. A kid with his right arm in a cast visited theOverwatchmuseum with his brother, getting excited about the various heroes and their accomplishments. Upon seeing Doomfist’s gauntlet, the kid mimics Winston punching Doomfist with his Primal Punch. This image depicting the kid punching in the air quickly became a fan favorite and even a meme among theOverwatchcommunity. Blizzard leaned into this fandom by adding the “Punch Kid” as aspray inOverwatch 2. For longtime fans, the spray serves as a nostalgic nod to the game’s roots as it first appeared inOverwatch’s launch video ten years ago.
Finding this “Punch Kid” hidden within Junkrat’s ping system is a fun reminder of the series’ history, especially now thatBlizzard has introducedOverwatchClassic. This limited-time mode revisits the gameplay of the originalOverwatch, letting players rediscover the popular 6v6 game mode, as well as the heroes’ old mechanics and past metas.
Overwatch 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
