Watchpoint: Gibraltar

Watchpoint: Gibraltar
"Arriving at Watchpoint: Gibraltar."
Map
Type	Escort
Release date	2016-05-24
Location	Gibraltar
Terrain	Research facility
Narrator	Athena ▶️
Theme	Theme ▶️
Distance	257.04 meters A: 86.02 meters B: 82.30 meters C: 88.72 meters
Payload speed	1.65
Capture time	156.2 seconds A: 52.3 seconds B: 50.0 seconds C: 53.9 seconds
Pause time	15 seconds Start of B: 7.5 seconds Start of C: 7.5 seconds
Available modes	Quick Play, Competitive Play, Mystery Heroes, No Limits, Total Mayhem, Custom Games

Watchpoint: Gibraltar is an Escort map in Overwatch and Overwatch 2. One of the 12 maps included in the game's release on 24 May 2016.

Official Description

At its height, Overwatch maintained a number of bases around the world, each with its own purpose: peacekeeping, scientific research, or in the case of Watchpoint: Gibraltar, providing an orbital launch facility. The base was mothballed along with the rest of Overwatch's installations, but there have been recent reports of activity within the perimeter. Could this indicate the presence of former Overwatch agents, or is this the work of organizations with more nefarious intentions?

Background

Watchpoint: Gibraltar stands on the strategic point of the Rock of Gibraltar, and was an Overwatch outpost that stood guard over the Mediterranean. When Overwatch was shut down, the watchpoint was shut down with it. Vivian Chase was seemingly the last member of Overwatch present, before leaving the base on a hovercycle.

Winston in his lab prior to the attack

Despite the end of Overwatch, Winston remained in the base (or made it his home). Years after Overwatch was disbanded, the watchpoint was attacked by Talon, whose operatives accompanied by Reaper entered the base to retrieve a list of all Overwatch operatives. They encountered resistance from Winston, but were able to incapacitate him long enough for Reaper to gain access to the Overwatch agents database. However, Winston was able to overpower the operatives and defeat Reaper before proceeding to interrupt the hack. As a result of the failed operation, Winston initiated the Overwatch recall, bringing all former agents back onto active duty.

The base showed signs of activity. This was from Winston, who as part of his intent to reform Overwatch, intended to bring the group's communication network back online. Constructing a satellite drone, he needed to get it to a rocket. The drone was successfully launched, and he looked on with pride.

The reformed Overwatch inside the watchpoint

After Overwatch was reformed, the team used the watchpoint as their new base of operations. Winston installed a simulator in the base to help the new recruits master their skills, in preparation for their battles against Null Sector.

Gameplay

The map's gameplay is based on getting the drone to the rocket. The attacking side spawns in Winston's laboratory.

Strategy

The map revolves around controlling its strong high grounds. Heroes with good ranged pressure, such as Widowmaker can take advantage of the map's long sight lines and heroes with vertical mobility, like Winston have the ability to quickly attack the high grounds and stage dives from them. Heroes that lack in these areas will have to take long detours through small spaces to access the high grounds, making these kind of compositions less optimal. Key areas of the map are the boxes on top of the tunnel on first checkpoint, the aircraft on the second point and the bridge overlooking the last straight on the final checkpoint.

Trivia

• The largest indoor area, Hanger 18, stores an OSS-7 Aurora craft.
• The Tracer vs. Widowmaker and Watchpoint: Gibraltar LEGO Overwatch sets both take place here. The former contains the Satellite Drone XR-9, while the latter contains the shuttle from the end of the map. They were revealed by Target in 2018.
• During Winter Wonderland event, the map is decorated for Christmas and thematic tunes can be heard in the first attacker spawn and inside the hangar.

Development

• In a beta patch released on March 8, 2016, the map was altered to have a hole broken out of the glass in Winston's office. This matches the events seen in Recall.
• A photo of Tracer and Emily was added to the map's barracks area in May/June, 2023.
• The map received notable adjustments in Season 5 of Overwatch 2: The final defender spawn area was completely redesigned, moving the spawn room behind the end location. The forward defender spawn was added an exit route and various route changes were made around the first checkpoint outside the hangar with further adjustments and cover added inside the hangar.
• In Season 14, the space shuttle Juno used to arrive from Mars was moved from Dorado to the first attacker spawn room.

Screenshots

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  Evening Loading Screen
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  Morning Loading Screen
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  Mirrorwatch Event Loading Screen