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Can You Play Kiriko in Competitive Overwatch 2? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you absolutely can play Kiriko in Competitive Overwatch 2. However, her journey to becoming a staple in ranked play had a unique beginning. Unlike most heroes, Kiriko was not immediately available in Competitive mode upon her release. This was a deliberate choice by Blizzard to ensure balance and allow players time to adjust to her unique skillset before bringing her into the competitive arena. This article will delve into Kiriko’s journey to competitive play, how to unlock her, and answer some frequent questions you may have about playing her in ranked matches.

Kiriko’s Competitive Debut: A Phased Rollout

Upon the launch of Overwatch 2, Kiriko was intentionally locked out of Competitive mode for roughly two weeks. This decision, as is common with new hero releases, was made to prevent any immediate meta-breaking imbalances and to give both new and existing players time to learn the ins and outs of her kit. Players were able to enjoy Kiriko in Quick Play and other game modes while the developers gathered feedback and assessed her impact on the game.

This initial lockout was a first for Overwatch, marking Kiriko as a hero that needed a bit more time to marinate before being thrown into the competitive mix. The purpose was clear: avoid a situation where a new hero, still poorly understood by the community, massively impacts competitive match outcomes, leading to unfair or frustrating experiences for players.

The Wait is Over: Kiriko Joins the Competitive Ranks

After the initial two-week period, Kiriko was finally introduced to Competitive mode. This allowed players to use their newly learned skills with Kiriko to climb the ranks. The two-week wait provided ample opportunity for players to understand her strengths, weaknesses, and how best to utilize her unique abilities within team compositions. It also gave Blizzard crucial data on her overall performance and the impact she had on the meta.

Unlocking Kiriko: A Necessary Step for Competitive Play

Unlike most Overwatch heroes, Kiriko isn’t unlocked by default for new players. There are a couple ways to gain access:

Battle Pass: In the first season of Overwatch 2, owning the premium battle pass granted you instant access to Kiriko. This was one method for obtaining her quickly and immediately utilizing her in Quick Play and subsequently, Competitive.
Founder’s Pack: For players who already owned the original Overwatch before late June, logging in before December 5 granted access to the Founder’s Pack. This pack also provided instant access to Kiriko.
Challenges: If you missed out on the initial release bonuses, don’t worry! You can unlock Kiriko through a series of challenges. These usually involve winning a certain number of games while playing specific roles, and mastering some of Kiriko’s abilities in the Practice Range. Specifically, you needed to win 35 games queuing as All Roles or playing Support heroes in Quick Play, Competitive, or No Limits. You also had to get 2 critical kills with Kunai in the Practice Range.

Playing Kiriko Without the Battle Pass

Yes, you can definitely unlock Kiriko without the Premium Battle Pass. New players who didn’t purchase a Premium Season Pass, could unlock Kiriko through the free pass, or by completing the aforementioned challenges. This ensures everyone has a fair shot at playing Kiriko in all game modes, Competitive included.

Kiriko’s Competitive Viability: Strengths and Weaknesses

Kiriko is a potent force in the right hands. Her ability to teleport across the map allows for incredible mobility and the ability to assist teammates in need quickly. Furthermore, her Protection Suzu can cleanse teammates of negative status effects while also providing a burst heal. Her ultimate, Kitsune Rush, significantly boosts the team’s movement speed and attack speed, making it very impactful.

However, she isn’t without limitations. Kiriko’s best maps are those that feature a lot of natural cover that allow her to teleport around safely and assist teammates. Conversely, she struggles on maps that force her to engage in close-quarters combat, like King’s Row. Additionally, she can struggle with sustained, high-damage comps. Mastering Kiriko requires considerable skill and game knowledge, and she is arguably one of the harder support characters to get the hang of.

Team Compositions that Synergize with Kiriko

Kiriko works well in a variety of team compositions. One notable composition is the Reinhardt + Junkrat + Cassidy + Kiriko + Zenyatta lineup, as it promotes a Brawl playstyle, closing distances with the enemy team. Her mobility and burst healing allow her to support aggressive frontlines, while also maintaining strong backline healing. She works particularly well with Lucio, as the combination of healing and movement bonuses makes both heroes shine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Kiriko in Competitive

Here are 15 common questions players ask about Kiriko and her role in competitive play:

Was Kiriko always available in Competitive Play? No, Kiriko was initially locked out of Competitive for about two weeks after her release to allow players to adjust to her and balance her.
How do I unlock Kiriko for Competitive? You can unlock her by buying the premium Battle Pass, having the Founder’s Pack (if you owned Overwatch 1 prior to a certain date), or completing specific in-game challenges.
Is Kiriko a good choice for all Competitive Maps? No, Kiriko excels on maps with plenty of cover where she can effectively utilize her teleportation, but struggles in close-quarters maps.
What type of playstyle works best with Kiriko? She is best used in more aggressive playstyles, where she can use her mobility to support the frontline while providing good backline healing.
Is Kiriko considered a top-tier support hero in Competitive? Many players consider Kiriko to be a very powerful support. She is often rated highly due to her versatility, healing output, mobility, and damaging capabilities, but she isn’t necessarily a top-tier hero in every situation.
Did they nerf or buff Kiriko after her release? Yes, Kiriko has seen balance changes. A notable change is that her Protection Suzu now heals less, but provides more burst healing when removing negative effects.
How long does it take to unlock Kiriko? It depends on the method. The free method, completing the challenges, can take some time to achieve.
Can I use my old Overwatch 1 cosmetics on Kiriko? Yes, Overwatch 1 players retain all unlocked skins, voice lines, and other cosmetics, and they will be available on Kiriko as well.
Is Kiriko a hard character to master? Yes, while not impossible, Kiriko is considered one of the harder support characters to fully master due to her complex kit and high skill ceiling.
Is Kiriko free in Unranked Modes? Yes, she can be unlocked through the free battle pass or challenges, allowing play in Unranked game modes.
Why is my competitive rank low despite playing well with Kiriko? The competitive ranking system in Overwatch 2 has changed. It no longer displays after each match and reviews every 5 wins, or 15 losses. Ranks are adjusted at that time.
Can Kiriko be countered by specific heroes? Characters with high Area of Effect (AoE) damage can indirectly counter Kiriko, since she cannot match multi-target healing.
How many games do I need to win to unlock Kiriko through challenges? You need to win 35 games while playing as All Roles or a Support hero.
Is there a hero that is very synergistic with Kiriko? Lucio is a very good pairing with Kiriko, as their mobility can make them both incredibly hard to kill.
Are there any new hero nerfs and buffs impacting Kiriko I should know about? In Overwatch 2 Season 6, Lifeweaver received buffs, while Kiriko received nerfs that reduced the healing from her Protection Suzu, making the ability more niche than before.

Conclusion

Kiriko is a versatile and rewarding hero that, with practice, can be a significant asset in Competitive Overwatch 2 matches. Understanding her strengths and weaknesses, unlocking her through the appropriate methods, and working on perfecting your mechanics are crucial steps to maximizing her potential. While she wasn’t immediately available in competitive mode upon release, she is now a fundamental part of the Overwatch 2 experience. Knowing how to properly utilize her abilities can help you rise through the competitive ranks.

Can you play Kiriko in comp?