Doomfist will join Overwatch live servers on PS4, Xbox One and PC on 27 July

Anticipated new Overwatch hero Doomfist will join the Blizzard game's live servers on PS4, Xbox One and PC next Thursday (27 July) after a three week testing period in the game's public test realm (PTR) server on PC.

Doomfist is Overwatch's 25th character and the fourth new addition since the game first launched just over a year ago. He's the game's eighth offensive character, and will be a popular pick over the next few weeks as players get to grips with how he plays.

To mark the announcement of an official release date, the development team at Blizzard released a new dev diary video explaining more about the character's origins and design.

Doomfist's name was first mentioned in Overwatch's announcement trailer, and has been a figure of great mystery and discussion ever since among the game's huge fan base.

The character's abilities centre around the enormous gauntlet of his prosthetic right arm. A powerful punch is able to knock enemies across the map, an uppercut can lift them off the ground and while in the air he can slam them back into the ground again.

As explained in our in-depth look at the character, he is strong against most support and tank class characters like Reinhardt and Winston, but not against those with ranged attacks like Widowmaker and Pharah.

It'll be difficult for most players to beat the rush and play as Doomfist in Quick Play or Competitive Play following his arrival on live servers, but game types in Overwatch's Arcade mode will offer them opportunities, not to mention solo modes against AI opponents.