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BlizzCon 2016: Blizzard reveals Sombra's backstory and abilities

Hacking and guns go hand in hand. Video games!

David Craddock

November 4, 2016 11:51 AM

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Blizzard revealed Sombra in a typically slick animated short earlier at BlizzCon 2016, and has since posted more details concerning her story and gameplay abilities.

Sombra's abilities strike a balance between gunplay and hacking. Her automatic machine pistol can fire a spread of bullets that hit at close range, and her Hack ability can be used to short-circuit enemy abilities and med kits. Along that line, EMP disrupts barriers and shields in a wide radius, and also hacks enemies to boot.

To get around efficiently, her Translocator creates a beacon that you can return to with the click of a button.

In terms of lore, Sombra unsurprisingly built a reputation as one of the world's best hackers. Matter of fact, Sombra is a handle; her real name is unknown. "Long before she took up the alias 'Sombra,' <REDACTED> was among the thousands of children who were left orphaned in the aftermath of the Omnic Crisis. With much of her country's infrastructure destroyed, she survived by utilizing her natural gifts with hacking and computers."

She was abducted by Mexico's Los Muertes gang and joined their revolution against the country's government, believing her hacking skills could be put to good use in the group's quest to overthrow the wealthy and aid the indigent.

Learn more on Sombra's official profile page.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.