Datamined Overwatch voice lines suggest the first romance between in-game characters

Every time a new patch goes live on the Overwatch test server, its data is mined for clues about where the game is headed next. And this week, two little lines of Genji and Mercy talking about chocolate have players in a bit of a tizzy. Here, have a listen:

Speculation is running rampant over on Reddit, with some suggesting this is practically confirmation that Genji and Mercy are in a relationship. Notice that Genji calls Mercy by her actual name, Angela, and the tone of his voice.

Now, go back and read the Overwatch Christmas comic, Reflections, and you'll notice near the end that Genji is writing a letter in the top-left corner panel, while Mercy is reading a letter in the bottom-right panel - the implication being that it's the same letter.

The two have a canonized friendship, as it was Mercy who saved Genji from the brink of death, and Overwatch which gave him his cyborg body. So it would make sense for the two to be close. Personally, I get the sense that Genji might have a crush on Mercy, but she sees him as a friend. Or they could be platonic friends (hey, friends can write letters and give each other chocolates). Or maybe they are lovers.Hell, I dunno!

And we may never know, as Blizzard tends to provide just the barest of hints at these characters' love lives. What's interesting is that, unlike Tracer's girlfriend, both of these characters exist in-game and are playable. If they do see each other as more than friends, it would be the first relationship of its kind in the game.

And before you speculate about an in-game Valentine's Day event, game director Jeff Kaplan has explicitly stated that won't be happening. "We do have some VERY cool stuff planned for next year," he wrote on the Overwatch forums." To clarify without spoiling surprises: We are *NOT* planning a Valentine's or Easter event. So yes, you can expect cool events. But just to manage expectations Valentine's and Easter are not those events."

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.