Australia in the Overwatch universe was devastated by the explosion of the omnium’s fusion core, leading to the creation of the Outback wasteland.
The lore of Overwatch tells us that after the Omnic Crisis, the Australian government made a deal to give the omnium and its surrounding lands back to the omnics. This decision was met with intense opposition from the Australian Liberation Front, a group of humans who had lived in the area. The conflict escalated until the ALF sabotaged the omnium’s fusion core, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that irradiated the surrounding area.
The explosion transformed the Outback into a harsh, irradiated wasteland filled with wreckage, and it turned the surviving humans into hardened, often lawless survivors. Among these survivors was Mako Rutledge, who would later become the infamous Junkrat. The destruction of the omnium also led to the creation of Junkertown, a makeshift settlement that became a haven for scavengers, criminals, and those looking to make a profit in the post-apocalyptic environment.
The event had a significant impact on the world of Overwatch, contributing to the already tense human-omnic relations and giving rise to several key characters and locations within the game’s narrative.