Overwatch Malevento map Easter egg pays tribute to late voice actor
Blizzard EntertainmentOverwatch’s newest map, Malevento, is finally on the PTR after months of speculation and it features a heartwarming tribute to Soldier 76’s late voice actor.
The deathmatch map is the second to take place in Italy, joining the likes of Rialto. And while none of the game’s current 32 heroes hail from the country, Soldier 76’s Italian voice actor did.
Roberto Draghetti passed away on July 24, 2020 after suffering a heart attack. In addition to Soldier, he had quite the resume, ranging from movies and TV shows. He was known for voicing Celebrimbor in Middle Earth: Shadow of War, Jonah Hex in Jonah Hex, and dubbing for Jamie Foxx in multiple projects.
As spotted by Overwatch fans, the dev team decided to honor the voice actor with a plaque. Users translated the words and discovered it was definitely a reference to Draghetti.
Blizzard Entertainment“In memory of ROBERTO an extraordinary talent and an incomparable voice,” it reads. “Old soldiers never die.”
The latter part about “old soldiers” is referenced a few times by 76 in Overwatch voice lines and interactions, so it’s a nice touch.
This isn’t the first time the Overwatch devs have honored someone within the community in a map. Most notably, in 2017, they added a small memorial to German pro and coach Dennis ‘INTERNETHULK’ Hawelka.
Looking for a new travel destination? Explore Malevento.
✅ Breezy cliffside views
✅ Cobblestone streets
✅ Secret Talon baseExperience Overwatch's new Deathmatch map, now testing on the PTR. pic.twitter.com/9RMIfpt0ok
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) September 1, 2021
It will be interesting to see if Blizzard also honors Mercy’s Brazilian voice actress Christiane Louise in any capacity when Overwatch 2 launches with a map in Rio de Janeiro.
Currently, the Malevento map is still on the PTR so it’s only available for PC players for the time being, but it’ll be coming to consoles soon in an upcoming patch.
While it may not be an official map that you’ll find in competitive ladder games, chances are you’ll get your fill of it if you load it up in-between DPS queues as a bit of a warm up.
