Overwatch's newest Archives event, Storm Rising, starts with Tracer on a motorcycle - what more do you need?

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You should always wear a helmet, even if Tracer doesn't

Overwatch's annual Archives events are a brilliant way to experience the backstory behind your favorite heroes, with highly replayable co-op story missions and a bevy of coveted cosmetics. This year's Archives event, Storm Rising, features Tracer, Winston, Mercy, and Genji teaming up to take down a member of Talon's council, and runs from April 16 to May 6 on all platforms (that's PS4, Xbox One, and PC). It also features Tracer riding a futuristic motorcycle, which I am very much here for.

Your target in this four-player mission is Maximilien, a wealthy omnic and a member of the Talon council who we last saw in the Doomfist comic Masquerade. "Everyone you know, everything you do, can be bought and sold," says Maximilien in the Storm Riding trailer above. "The price of loyalty is always changing."

You and your squad get to play the part of two iconic duos: Tracer and Winston, who brought the Overwatch initiative back to the world, alongside Mercy and Genji, stars of many a fanfiction shipping. Maximilien's been spotted in a Cuban city, so you need to take down his convoy and eliminate any Talon goons that show up when the party starts. I'm going to hazard a guess that you probably don't get to actually control Tracer while she's zooming around on her killer bike, but merely seeing her weave through highway traffic while dodging bullets (a la Trinity in The Matrix Reloaded) is a treat.

As is custom, Blizzard will also debut a new set of cosmetics along with the Storm Rising mission, and our friends at PC Gamer have collected all the revealed Overwatch Storm Rising skins in one place (including the newest hero Baptiste in his original Talon uniform). Storm Rising is the third Archives mission, preceded by Uprising in 2017 and Retribution in 2018; both of the older missions will also be available for the duration of the event before Storm Rising goes into the Archives vault on May 6.

If you're just getting back into Overwatch, why not find out which of the many Overwatch characters is right for you? 

Lucas Sullivan
Lucas Sullivan

Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them.