Sub-Roles are categories within each role. They were announced in the Overwatch Spotlight 2026, then debuted February 10th, 2026 with the start of Reign of Talon's Season 1: Conquest.[1]
Sub-Role passive abilities are not present in Stadium.
Tank
Bruiser
Bruisers are tanks focused on facing off the enemy tank and damage heroes directly. They have high damage up close and great sustain to soak damage. Most of the Bruiser heroes belong to the Brawl archetype
There are currently 4 Bruiser heroes in the game:
Bruiser Passive
- Critical Health is considered 50% or below.
- Weapons with a lower 1.5x headshot modifier ignore this damage reduction completely.
- The effectiveness on abilities that deal critical damage through other means than headshots is ambiguous:
Earthshatter and 
Overrun are affected by the damage reduction, but 
Virus and 
Volatile Chaingun's forced critical hits against burning targets are not. - The reduction stacks additively with other modifiers affecting damage taken.
Bruiser Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Mauga |
Mauga Hero Selection
|
 Orisa |
Orisa Hero Selection In Overwatch, Orisa served as the central anchor of her team, and defended her teammates from the frontline with a protective barrier. She could attack from long range, fortify her own defenses, launch graviton charges to slow and move enemies, and deploy a Supercharger to boost the damage output of multiple allies at once.[3] In Overwatch 2, Orisa is an offensive tank.[4]
|
 Roadhog |
Roadhog Hero Selection
|
 Zarya |
Zarya Hero Selection Deploying powerful personal barriers that convert incoming damage into energy for her massive Particle Cannon, Zarya is an invaluable asset on the front lines of any battle.
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Initiator
Initiators focus on taking down key targets of the enemy teams. These heroes have access to great mobility and burst damage. Most of the Initiator heroes belong to the Dive archetype.
There are currently 5 Initiator heroes in the game:
Initiator Passive
- Triggers when using certain movement abilities:
- Winston:
Jump Pack - D.Va:
Boosters - Hazard:
Violent Leap - Wrecking Ball:
Grappling Claw (with fireball) - Doomfist:
Rocket Punch
- Winston:
- Lasts for 1 second with a 5 second cooldown. This is seperate from the cooldown of the ability.
- Once triggered, all 50 healing will be granted, even if the hero takes damage mid-heal.
- The passive doesn't activate if the hero is full health.
Initiator Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 D.Va |
D.Va Hero Selection  Fusion Cannons blast away with autofire at short range, and she can use its Boosters to barrel over enemies and obstacles, or absorb attacks with her projectile-destroying  Defense Matrix.
|
 Doomfist |
Doomfist Hero Selection
|
 Hazard |
Hazard Hero Selection
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 Winston |
Winston Hero Selection
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 Wrecking Ball |
Wrecking Ball Hero Selection Wrecking Ball rolls across the battlefield, using his arsenal of weapons and his mech’s powerful body to crush his enemies.
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Stalwart
Stalwart tanks is the most varied tank sub-role, having heroes that belong in different archetypes such as Poke (Sigma, Domina) or Brawl (Reinhardt, Junker Queen). Most Stalwart tanks can create barriers to protect their teammates and hold up space for their team to march forward.
There are currently 5 Stalwart heroes in the game:
Stalwart Passive
- Reduces the speed of knockback and the effectiveness of slowdown effects received by 40%.
Stalwart Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Domina |
Hero Selecetion Domina is the heiress and lead negotiator of Vishkar Corporation. As a perfectionist, she's capable of dominating the fight, commanding space for her allies. With her masterful use of Hard-light, she possesses the necessary abilities to keep opponents away while dealing devastating damage.
|
 Junker Queen |
Junker Queen Hero Selection
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 Ramattra |
Ramattra Hero Selection
|
 Reinhardt |
Reinhardt Hero Selection
|
 Sigma |
Sigma Hero Selection
|
Damage
Flanker
Flankers focus on burst movement and melting low health targets with high close range damage. Flankers also focus on redirecting the team's attention to themselves. Flankers can either fit the Brawl archetype (Anran, Reaper) or the Dive archetype (Venture, Vendetta).
There are currently 7 Flanker heroes in the game:
Flanker Passive
- Small Health packs restore 150 Hit points, up from 75.
- Large Health packs restore 325 Hit points, up from 250.
- Anran, Genji, and Tracer additionally have a higher base movement speed of 6.0m/s, rather than the normal 5.5m/s.
Flanker Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Anran |
As a star student of Wuxing University's Fire College, Anran controls Fire to burn away enemies in her path. Her high mobility and consistent damage provide her with the tools to easily disrupt the enemy's backline, picking out weak targets to assassinate. Her Ignition passive makes her a deadly threat to go against, with her Zhuque Fans allowing her to thrive on burning targets.
|
 Genji |
Genji flings precise and deadly Shuriken at his targets, and uses his wakizashi to deflect projectiles or delivers a Swift Strike with his technologically-advanced "dragonblade" that cuts down enemies.
|
 Reaper |
Hellfire Shotguns, the ghostly ability to become immune to damage, and the power to step between shadows make Reaper one of the deadliest beings on Earth.
|
| File:Icon-Shion.png Shion |
|
 Tracer |
Toting twin pulse pistols, energy-based time bombs, and rapid-fire banter, Tracer is able to "blink" through space and rewind her personal timeline as she battles to right wrongs the world over.
|
 Vendetta |
Vendetta Hero Selection Vendetta is a dive-focused Damage Hero who takes big risks for big rewards. She needs to really commit when she engages, but if you can make the most of her mobility, speed, and unique defensive mechanic, she becomes a terrifying threat to squishy backline heroes.[6][7][8] Vendetta has a high skill ceiling. Her mobility can also unintentionally be a trap, goading overzealous attackers into jumping directly into the action without an escape plan.[9]
|
 Venture |
Venture is an elusive, combo-oriented close-range damage dealer.
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Recon
Recon is a very diverse sub-role, mainly composed of flight heroes. Those heroes are focused on keeping distance and getting info about the enemy team. Recon heroes belong in multiple archetypes, with the main ones being Dive and Poke
There are currently 5 Recon heroes in the game:
Recon Passive
- The duration starts from the last instance of damage you dealt to them, so long as they are below half health.
Recon Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Echo |
Echo is an evolutionary robot programmed with a rapidly adapting artificial intelligence, versatile enough to fill multiple battlefield combat roles.
|
 Freja |
Freja's kit is built for players who thrive on accuracy, agility, and pure tactical domination. She is well suited for players who thrive on precision and positioning.[10] Her kit combines high mobility with precision ranged attacks.[11]
|
 Pharah |
Hero Selection Soaring through the air in her combat armor, and armed with a launcher that lays down high-explosive rockets, Pharah is a force to be reckoned with.
|
 Sierra |
Hero Selection
|
 Sombra |
Sombra Hero Selection
|
Sharpshooter
Sharpshooters are heroes that stay mainly behind the frontline alongside tanks. They have long range and are mostly focused on holding angles with their high headshot damage. Sharpshooters usually have hitscan attacks (except Hanzo), and belong in the Poke archetype.
There are currently 5 Sharpshooter heroes in the game:
Sharpshooter Passive
- Critical hits will grant cooldown reduction to Movement Abilities based on 0.75% of damage dealt.
Sharpshooter Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Ashe |
As the leader of the Deadlock Gang, Ashe is a rebellious outlaw who's not afraid to get her hands dirty. Ashe can quickly fire her rifle from the hip or use her weapon’s aim-down sights to line up a high damage shot at the cost of fire-rate. She blasts enemies by throwing dynamite, and her coach gun packs enough punch to put some distance between her and her foes, or gain some air to leap to hard to reach places or for an aerial shot. And Ashe is not alone, as she can call on her omnic ally B.O.B. to join the fray when the need arises.
|
 Cassidy |
Armed with his Peacekeeper revolver, Cassidy takes out targets with deadeye precision and dives out of danger with eagle-like speed.
|
 Hanzo |
Hanzo's versatile arrows can reveal his enemies or rapid fire to strike multiple targets. He can scale walls to fire his bow from on high, or summon a titanic spirit dragon.
|
 Sojourn |
As a former Overwatch Captain, Sojourn fields abilities designed to plan, lead, and execute strikes on her opposition. Sojourn offers a unique mid-range gameplay experience and a kit packed with some incredible mobility and artillery.[13]
|
 Widowmaker |
Widowmaker equips herself with whatever it takes to eliminate her targets, including mines that dispense poisonous gas, a visor that grants her squad infra-sight, and a powerful sniper rifle that can fire in fully-automatic mode.
|
Specialist
Specialist is the most varied Damage sub-role, with them mainly belonging in the Brawl and Poke archetypes. Some of them are easy to understand jacks of all trades (Bastion, Soldier: 76), while others focus on area denial (Mei, Junkrat).
There are currently 7 Specialist heroes in the game:
Specialist Passive
- Reload speed is 1.5x faster after an elimination. This only lasts for 3 seconds, but is refreshed if another elimination is earned.
- An indicator is shown to the right of the crosshair to show when the reload increase is active.
Specialist Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Bastion |
The ability to transform between Assault, Recon and devastating Artillery configurations provided Bastion with a high damage output.
|
 Emre |
Emre is a fast-paced "run and gun" hero.[14] He excels at up-close and mid-range fights, dealing consistent and reliable damage. His abilities provide the necessary burst damage and survivability to finish opponents off, while his ultimate deals devastating blows to win fights.
|
 Junkrat |
Junkrat's area-denying armaments include a Frag Launcher that lobs bouncing grenades, Concussion Mines that send enemies flying, and Steel Traps that stop foes dead in their tracks.
|
 Mei |
Mei’s weather-altering devices slow opponents and protect locations. Her Endothermic Blaster unleashes damaging icicles and frost streams, and she can Cryo-Freeze herself to guard against counterattacks, or obstruct the opposing team's movements with an Ice Wall.
|
 Soldier: 76 |
Armed with cutting-edge weaponry, including an experimental pulse rifle that’s capable of firing spirals of high-powered Helix Rockets, Soldier: 76 has the speed and support know-how of a highly trained warrior.
|
 Symmetra |
Symmetra utilizes her light-bending Photon Projector to dispatch adversaries, shield her associates, construct teleportation pads and deploy particle-blasting Sentry Turrets.
|
 Torbjörn |
Torbjörn’s extensive arsenal includes a rivet gun and hammer, as well as a personal forge that he can use to build turrets.
|
Support
Medic
Medic supports are characters focused on providing healing. Unlike other supports, their healing weapon is bound to primary fire, while dealing or boosting damage is bound to secondary fire. Their abilities usually focus on healing rather than combat.
There are currently 4 Medic heroes in the game:
Medic Passive
- Does not generate ultimate charge.
- Effect stacks when healing multiple allies.
- Affected by healing modifiers both on the target and the Medic.
Medic Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Kiriko |
Kiriko is a kunoichi healer who is aided by her kitsune spirit. She can throw protection suzu to her allies or kunai against her enemies.[15]
She is a family friend of the Shimada Family. She also trained in the early days with Genji and Hanzo.
|
 Lifeweaver |
Lifeweaver is a support that provides reliable healing and utility that allows him to reposition his teammates and save them from dangerous situations.
|
 Mercy |
Mercy’s Valkyrie Suit helps keep her close to teammates like a guardian angel; healing, resurrecting or strengthening them with the beams emanating from her  Caduceus Staff.
|
 Moira |
Moira’s biotic abilities enable her to contribute healing or damage in any crisis. While Biotic Grasp gives Moira short-range options, her Biotic Orbs contribute longer-range, hands-off damage and healing; she can also Fade to escape groups or remain close to allies in need of support. Once she’s charged Coalescence, Moira can save allies from elimination, with healing, while also damaging several enemies at the same time.
|
Survivor
Survivor supports have strong movement abilities that they can easily use to either initiate or escape fights, but tend to be very squishy. Survivors can fit into multiple archetypes, such as Dive (Juno), Poke (Wuyang) or Brawl (Brigitte).
There are currently 5 Survivor heroes in the game:
Survivor Passive
- After using a movement ability, the global passive regeneration immediately triggers
- The global passive will last for a minimum of 0.25 seconds (assuming you're damaged after using the ability).
Survivor Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Brigitte |
Brigitte specializes in protection. She can throw Repair Packs to heal teammates, as well as automatically heal nearby allies when she damages foes. Her Rocket Flail can strike multiple close-range targets when swung normally, or a single medium-range target via the Whip Shot. When entering the fray, her Barrier Shield provides personal defense and can also be used offensively with Shield Bash. Brigitte’s ultimate ability, Rally, gives her a small short-term speed boost and provides longer-lasting Overhealth to her nearby allies, as well as a personal boost of armor for herelf.s
|
 Illari |
Illari harnesses the power of the sun in her Solar Rifle, capable of dealing long range poke damage and creating a high-output healing beam. She can also deploy a healing pylon to automatically heal nearby allies. Her ultimate ability fires an explosive ball of solar energy that slows enemies in a massive area and causes them to burst upon taking more damage.
|
 Juno |
Hero Selection Juno is a highly mobile hero with a focus on verticality. She mainly focuses on AOE and combined healing and damage. She provides utility to her team by boosting their speed. She has a very "slippery" kind of movement, being able to quickly reposition and escape from danger.[16]
|
 Mizuki |
Mizuki is an aggressive support with a healing aura fueled by damage and a kasa hat that can be thrown at allies to heal them. His main weapon is his glaive that throws bouncing projectile rounds. Mizuki is versatile in both offensive and defensive engagements.
|
 Wuyang |
Wuyang has water-based abilities that can manipulate the battlefield.[17] His playstyle is all about rhythm, disruption, and flow-based control, with fluid healing, hybrid damage utility, and graceful mobility.[18]
|
Tactician
Tacticians supports are capable of both healing and additional support abilities, such as debuffing opponents (Zenyatta, Ana) or various positive utilities for teammates (Lúcio, Jetpack Cat). These heroes are also capable of providing consistent healing to allies, being key parts of a team's composition.
There are currently 5 Tactician heroes in the game:
Tactician Passive
- Tacticians can charge up to 25% of their next ultimate after reaching 100%.
- This is visible from an orange bar above the ultimate icon in the bottom-middle of the screen.
- Past 100%:
- The additional 25% has a 25% reduced gain rate.
- You will not passively gain ultimate charge towards the extra 25%.
Tactician Overview
| Hero | Overview |
|---|---|
 Ana |
A founding member of Overwatch and once renowned as the greatest sniper in the world, Ana Amari comes from a long line of decorated military veterans. Though she was thought to have perished in a firefight with Talon, Ana has rejoined the fray to protect her country, family, and closest allies.[19]
Ana's versatile arsenal allows her to affect heroes all over the battlefield. Her Biotic Rifle's is capable of firing long-range smart projectiles that heal allies and damage her enemies. The rifle is equipped with a scope that allows for more precise and instantaneous shots. Ana's Biotic Grenades increases the healing received by her allies and denies healing from enemies hit. Her sidearm fires a Sleep Dart which tranquilizes key targets, and her ultimate, Nano Boost, temporarily empowers one of her allies, granting them damage resistance and increasing the damage they deal or receive.
|
 Baptiste |
Baptiste wields an assortment of experimental devices and weaponry to keep allies alive and eliminate threats under fierce conditions. A battle-hardened combat medic, he is just as capable of saving lives as he is taking out the enemy.
|
 Jetpack Cat |
Jetpack Cat is a mobile support hero whose kit emphasizes airborne positioning, sustained healing, and battlefield utility. She is unique in that her passive grants permanent flight, allowing her to remain airborne throughout engagements.
|
 Lúcio |
On the battlefield, Lúcio’s cutting-edge Sonic Amplifier buffets enemies with projectiles and knocks foes back with blasts of sound. His songs can both heal his team or boost their movement speed, and he can switch between tracks on the fly.
|
 Zenyatta |
Zenyatta calls upon orbs of harmony and discord to heal his teammates and weaken his opponents, all while pursuing a transcendent state of immunity to damage.
|
Trivia
- Initially, Sub-Role: Initiator was revealed to be 50 healing over 2 seconds, but was changed to 75 healing over 1 second before release.
- Some of the Sub-Roles were inspired by and replaced specific hero passives and perks, which were then either reworked or removed due to their replacement.
- Sub-Role: Stalwart was originally specific to Reinhardt as
Steadfast, then existed on all Tanks as an additional component to the 
Role: Tank passive before being made specific to Stalwarts. - Sub-Role: Bruiser's 25% critical damage reduction, like Stalwart, was also part of the Role: Tank passive before becoming a sub-role. The critical health move speed bonus was introduced in the Bruiser passive.
- Sub-Role: Specialist was originally present as
Role: Damage in 2023, before it was changed in 2024 to "Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received." When Sub-Roles were introduced, the faster reload on elimination was given to Specialists, while the healing reduction on damage was made a global passive ability. - Sombra's original
Opportunist, as well as Pharah's 
Sky Spy Major Perk and Freja's 
Hunters Instinct Minor Perk, all inspired Sub-Role: Recon. - Mercy's
Sympathetic Recovery inspired and was replaced by Sub-Role: Medic. Sympathetic Recovery's replacement, 
Swift Recovery, is identical to the removed Role: Support passive. - The following Perks–Cassidy's
Gun Slingin', Hanzo's 
Swift Lunge, and Widowmaker's 
Escape Plan–inspired and were all replaced by Sub-Role: Sharpshooter. - Wrecking Ball's old
Pack Rat Minor Perk had the same effect as the Sub-Role: Flanker passive. Despite his flank-heavy playstyle, he did not receive it because he is not a Damage hero.
Balance Change Log
- For more information, see Patch Notes.
- No longer triggers while airborne.
- Now triggers when using a specified movement ability:
- Winston – Jump Pack
- D.Va – Boosters
- Hazard – Violent Lunge
- Wrecking Ball – Grappling Claw
- Doomfist – Rocket Punch
- Heal amount reduced from 60 to 50.
- Vision duration on low-health enemies reduced from 5 to 3.5 seconds.
- Increased self-healing from 25% to 40%.
- Now triggers below 50% health.
- No longer triggers while at full health.
- Healing reduced from 75 to 60.
- Heroes Update
- Sub Roles
- Reduced ultimate charge is granted from healing and damage received.
- Ultimate Generation Reduction: -40%
- Base health increased in Role Queue game modes.
- Bonus Health: +150
- Knockback Resistance and Critical Damage Resistance removed from the role passive.
- Removed
- The following effects that were previously granted by the Damage Role Passive are now baseline for all heroes.
- In-Combat Healing Reduction on Damage: -30%
- Reduced effectiveness against Tanks: -15%
- Removed
- Global regeneration after 6 seconds remains unchanged.
- Tank Sub-Roles
- Heroes: D.Va, Doomfist, Winston, Wrecking Ball
- Staying airborne lightly heals you.
- Airborne Time: 0.8 seconds
- Total Healing: 75
- Heal Duration: 1 seconds
- Staying airborne lightly heals you.
- Heroes: Mauga, Orisa, Roadhog, Zarya
- Reduces critical damage received. While at critical health, gain movement speed.
- Critical Damage Reduction: -25%
- Movement Speed Bonus: 20%
- Reduces critical damage received. While at critical health, gain movement speed.
- Heroes: Domina, Hazard, Junker Queen, Ramattra, Reinhardt, Sigma
- Reduces knock backs and slows received.
- Knockback Resistance: 40%
- Slow Resistance: 40%
- Reduces knock backs and slows received.
- Damage Sub-Roles
- Heroes: Bastion, Emre, Junkrat, Mei, Soldier: 76, Symmetra, Torbjörn
- Eliminating an enemy briefly increases reload speed.
- Reload Speed Bonus: 50%
- Duration: 3 seconds
- Eliminating an enemy briefly increases reload speed.
- Heroes: Pharah, Freja, Echo, Sombra
- Damaging enemies below half health reveals them through walls.
- Reveal Duration: 5 seconds
- Damaging enemies below half health reveals them through walls.
- Heroes: Anran, Genji, Reaper, Tracer, Vendetta, Venture
- Health packs restore additional health.
- Additional Healing: +75
- Health packs restore additional health.
- Heroes: Ashe, Cassidy, Hanzo, Sojourn, Widowmaker
- Critical hits reduce movement ability cooldowns.
- Cooldown Reduction: 0.75% of damage dealt
- Critical hits reduce movement ability cooldowns.
- Support Sub-Roles
- Heroes: Ana, Baptiste, Jetpack Cat, Lúcio, Zenyatta
- Excess ultimate charge is retained after using your ultimate ability.
- Bonus Ultimate Charge Cap: 25%
- Reduced Ultimate Charge Gain Rate: -25% while above 100%
- Excess ultimate charge is retained after using your ultimate ability.
- Heroes: Kiriko, Lifeweaver, Mercy, Moira
- Healing allies with your weapon also heals you.
- Self-Healing: 25% of healing dealt
- Reduced Ultimate Charge Gain Rate: -25% while above 100%
- Healing allies with your weapon also heals you.
- Heroes: Brigitte, Illari, Juno, Mizuki, Wuyang
- Using a movement ability activates passive health regeneration.
References
- ↑ https://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24246206/overwatch-spotlight-the-reign-of-talon-begins/
- ↑ 2023-11-03, MAUGA LIGHTS UP THE ARENA IN A LIMITED-TIME TRIAL!. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2023-11-04
- ↑ Orisa (Overwatch), Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2017-03-02
- ↑ 2022-04-20, Big Changes Coming To Doomfist And Orisa. Game Informer, accessed on 2022-05-08
- ↑ 2022-06-21, A DESIGN FIT FOR ROYALTY: AN INSIDE LOOK AT HER MAJESTY, THE JUNKER QUEEN. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2022-07-03
- ↑ 2025-11-18, Overwatch 2’s next hero is Vendetta, an Italian gladiatrix, launching in Season 20. Massively Overpowered, accessed on 2025-11-19
- ↑ 2025-11-17, Overwatch 2's new damage hero is melee-focused hard (light) hitter Vendetta. Polygon, accessed on 2025-11-19
- ↑ 2025-11-18, Overwatch 2's newest hero has roots in one of the best PvE missions I played 7 years ago. PC Gamer, accessed on 2025-11-19
- ↑ https://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24242737/weekly-recall-strength-glory-vendetta/
- ↑ 2025-03-18, Season 15 Midseason: Collab, Crossbow, and Chaos. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2025-03-22
- ↑ 2025-03-31, Overwatch 2 Season 16 Is Coming This April And Could Be The Boldest Update Yet. 9 Meters, accessed on 2025-04-03
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20190330033734/https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/heroes/sombra/
- ↑ 2022-04-14, HEROES AREN’T BORN, THEY’RE MADE: AN IN-DEPTH INTRODUCTION TO SOJOURN. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2022-04-20
- ↑ 2026-02-05, Overwatch 2 drops the 2 with a colossal overhaul — the Reign of Talon begins with 5 new characters dropping next week and a freakin' Hello Kitty collab. Windows Central, accessed on 2026-02-10
- ↑ 2022-09-15, Overwatch 2's Next Support Hero Is Kiriko, a Healing Ninja. IGN, accessed on 2022-09-15
- ↑ 2023-11-05, Complete Blizzcon 2023 Summary. Reddit, accessed on 2023-11-05
- ↑ 2025-02-12, Overwatch 2 Spotlight: A New Era of Innovation and Excitement. PlayOverwatch, accessed on 2025-03-22
- ↑ 2025-07-26, Overwatch 2’s upcoming hero Wuyang has abilities leaked early. Siege GG, accessed on 2025-07-26
- ↑ Overwatch 2 - Heroes - Ana. Retrieved on July 27, 2025.
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