Petra, Jordan
Hidden amidst the rugged desert canyons and mountains, Petra was once a lively trading center and the capital of the Nabatean Empire between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106. Many traders would often pass by the area, carrying with them textiles, spices, and incense from various regions. The city flourished as its people, the Nabataeans, procured precious water which helped increase the locality’s population. Even so, Petra was lost to the Western world for some time before its discovery back in 1812. Archaeologists are still trying to discover clues to this mysterious city’s past and who decided to carve it.
Overwatch has steadily been increasing their arena maps with three new locations taken from the other areas of Dorado, Eichenwalde, and the Temple of Anubis. Petra would make a great addition to this type of Overwatch map for its narrow pathways and large treasury room. You could easily have a large 3v3 confrontation in the treasury or slink back and hunt foes during 1v1 sessions.
Alhambra, Spain
The Alhambra was once used as a fortress when the Moors still claimed a part of Spain around the 13th century. The word itself is a Spanish rendering of the Arabic word “qa’lat al-Hamra” which translates to “red castle.” Fittingly enough, the place was built from dusty red stone that was used to create thick walls around the castle. Despite being a fortress, Alhambra still had some beautiful sections around the complex (such as the gardens and baths) which ensured quality accommodations. The fortress went through some rough times during the 1700’s but became a protected and international monument around 1870.
Being such a large fortress, Alhambra has many sections that can be used as control points in Overwatch. Similar to how Lijiang Tower or Nepal are actually one large area, Alhambra could be split into three different Overwatch maps that you can capture. One part could be the Palacio Nazaries filled with beautiful courtyards and sparkling water while another could be Alcazaba that boasts several towers.
Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Formed roughly 45 million years ago, the Alps is a mountain range that arcs its way across most of Europe. The mountain is also the highest, largest, youngest, and most densely populated mountain range in the continent. The Alps covers most of Switzerland and Liechtenstein but also extends into other areas like Austria, France, Italy, and Germany, among others. Because of this, the mountainous alpine region that covers Switzerland is known as the Swiss Alps. This area covers a whopping 65 percent of Switzerland’s total land mass which makes it one of the most mountainous European countries.
Overwatch medic Mercy grew up in the area where she once worked as a head of surgery at a prominent Swiss hospital. At the time, she supposedly pioneered a breakthrough in the field of applied nanobiology hence how the international task force found her. With this in mind, Switzerland seems like the perfect place that would not only fit into Mercy’s backstory but also act as an Overwatch escort map. Attacking players would have to escort the payload through the mountain range starting from a small village up to a possible Overwatch medical base. The only problem here is if players will actually stay on the payload or not…
Sydney Opera House, Australia
The Sydney Opera House stands as one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks for its creative and technical achievements. Its history stems back to its creation in 1973 and has since then attracted worldwide attention for its design and harbor location. The establishment has around 1000 rooms with five theaters, five rehearsal studios, four restaurants, two main halls, six bars and plenty of souvenir shops. From its name, the Sydney Opera House is used for symphony concerts, popular music shows, and choir performances.
Australia has already been mentioned in the Overwatch lore with both Junkrat and Roadhog originating from the locality. Unfortunately, most of the region was reduced to rubble following a power struggle between the Australian Liberation Front and the Omnium. It isn’t said if the Opera House still stands but it would be in total disarray nonetheless. Regardless, the establishment would still have most of its ruined rooms intact which would be perfect for Overwatch assault maps. Defending players will have to keep the enemies away from two certain areas that could start from a rehearsal studio down to the largest theater.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The city of Samarkand lies within the modern-day Uzbekistan and is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia. In history, it has been a central point for trade across the regions – especially between China and the Mediterranean. The city was founded in 700 BCE by the Persians and was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BCE. Samarkand is also a vibrant area for its “mosaic faience” styled buildings where tiles are cut, colored and fit into place individually. These also have significant meanings as some are engraved with the words “Allah” and “Muhammad” which trace back to the city’s religiosity.
Such a vivid and colorful city would be a perfect fit into Overwatch’s animated world filled with eye-popping palette schemes. Since Samarkand is a city, its large scope would be perfect as a hybrid map where you have to take control of a point before escorting the payload. The said point could either be a city square or a wide open space with the payload’s destination leading up to the city’s exit. That way, players will have the chance to explore and admire the map while avoiding bullet fire at the same time.
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