Overwatch 2: Meet the New Heroes Reshaping the Battlefield

The initial launch of Overwatch 2 introduced three brand-new heroes to the existing roster: Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko. These characters brought fresh abilities, playstyles, and lore to the game, significantly impacting the competitive landscape and offering players exciting new options. Since its release, Overwatch 2 has also introduced Ramattra, Lifeweaver, and Illari, as well as promised more new characters in the future.

Diving Deep into the New Heroes of Overwatch 2

Let’s break down each of these initial three heroes, exploring their strengths, weaknesses, and unique contributions to the game:

Sojourn: The Railgun Marksman

Sojourn is a Damage hero specializing in mid-to-long-range combat. Her primary weapon, the Railgun, is her defining characteristic. The Railgun’s primary fire is a rapid-firing projectile weapon that generates energy with each hit. This energy is then channeled into her secondary fire, which unleashes a powerful, hitscan railgun shot.

• Key Abilities:

  • Railgun: Rapid-fire projectiles that build energy. Secondary fire shoots a high-impact railgun shot when fully charged.
  • Power Slide: A fast-paced slide that can be canceled into a high jump.
  • Disruptor Shot: Launches an energy field that slows and damages enemies within it.
  • Overclock (Ultimate): Temporarily grants the Railgun full energy and allows it to fire multiple railgun shots rapidly.

• Playstyle: Sojourn excels at picking off targets from a distance, using her Power Slide for mobility and repositioning. The Disruptor Shot can be used to control space and deny enemy advancements. Her Overclock ultimate is devastating in the right hands, capable of eliminating entire teams if aimed accurately.

• Strengths: High damage output, strong mobility, effective at long and medium ranges.

• Weaknesses: Reliant on aim, vulnerable at close range, ultimate requires precision.

Junker Queen: The Commanding Tank

Junker Queen is a formidable Tank hero who thrives in the thick of the fight. Armed with her Scattergun, a pump-action shotgun, and the Jagged Blade, a throwing knife that can be recalled, she dominates close-quarters engagements.

• Key Abilities:

  • Scattergun: A pump-action shotgun effective at close range.
  • Jagged Blade: Throws a knife that wounds enemies and can be recalled, pulling them closer.
  • Commanding Shout: Increases her and nearby allies’ health and movement speed.
  • Carnage: Swings her axe, wounding enemies in front of her.
  • Rampage (Ultimate): Charges forward, wounding enemies and preventing them from being healed.

• Playstyle: Junker Queen is an aggressive tank that excels at initiating fights and disrupting enemy formations. Her Commanding Shout provides valuable support to her team, while Carnage and Rampage deliver significant damage. Her unique passive, which wounds enemies, allows her to sustain herself through lifesteal.

• Strengths: High damage output, strong sustain, buffs allies and debuffs enemies.

• Weaknesses: Reliant on close-range engagements, vulnerable to crowd control, ultimate can be easily countered with barriers or crowd control.

Kiriko: The Protective Support

Kiriko is a dynamic Support hero offering a mix of healing, damage, and utility. She wields Healing Ofuda, talismans that heal allies, and Kunai, sharp projectiles that deal increased critical damage.

• Key Abilities:

  • Healing Ofuda: Channels healing talismans that seek out allies.
  • Kunai: Throws kunai that deal increased critical damage.
  • Swift Step: Teleports directly to an ally, even through walls.
  • Protection Suzu: Grants temporary invulnerability and cleanses negative effects to allies in an area.
  • Kitsune Rush (Ultimate): Summons a fox spirit that creates a path that increases movement speed, attack speed, and reload speed for allies.

• Playstyle: Kiriko is a versatile support capable of both healing and dealing damage. Her Healing Ofuda provides consistent healing, while her Kunai rewards accurate aim. Swift Step allows her to quickly reposition and rescue allies in danger, and Protection Suzu can negate enemy ultimates and critical crowd control effects. Kitsune Rush can significantly boost her team’s offensive capabilities.

• Strengths: High healing potential, good damage output, strong utility, high mobility.

• Weaknesses: Requires good aim, Healing Ofuda can be slow, vulnerable when Swift Step is on cooldown.

FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About the New Overwatch 2 Heroes

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the new heroes in Overwatch 2, updated with more recent hero releases:

1. Were there any original characters released in Overwatch 2? No, the original 32 heroes from Overwatch returned in Overwatch 2. However, the game introduced significant reworks and balance changes to many existing heroes.

2. How many new heroes were added to Overwatch 2 at launch? At launch, Overwatch 2 introduced three new heroes: Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko.

3. What role does Sojourn play? Sojourn is a Damage hero.

4. What makes Sojourn unique? Her Railgun and its energy-charging mechanic, combined with her mobility from Power Slide, make her a unique and versatile damage dealer.

5. What role does Junker Queen play? Junker Queen is a Tank hero.

6. What is Junker Queen’s playstyle? She’s an aggressive, close-range tank who excels at disrupting enemy formations and sustaining herself through damage.

7. What role does Kiriko play? Kiriko is a Support hero.

8. What is Kiriko’s Protection Suzu ability? It grants temporary invulnerability and cleanses negative effects to allies in an area, making it a powerful counter to many ultimates and crowd control abilities.

9. How do I unlock new heroes in Overwatch 2? New heroes can be unlocked through the Battle Pass system. Free players can earn them through gameplay, while premium Battle Pass owners unlock them immediately.

10. Who is the new hero in Overwatch 2 Season 2? Ramattra, a Tank hero and leader of the Null Sector omnics, was introduced in Season 2.

11. Who is the new support hero in Overwatch 2 (37th hero)? Lifeweaver, a Support hero, was the 37th character released in Overwatch 2.

12. Who is the new healer in Overwatch 2 (38th hero)? The new healer is Illari. She utilizes a healing pylon and a resource-based healing beam.

13. Are there any LGBTQ+ characters in Overwatch 2? Yes, Overwatch 2 currently has five confirmed in-game characters who are LGBTQ+: Tracer, Soldier: 76, Lifeweaver, Pharah, and Baptiste.

14. Does Overwatch 2 still have the old characters from the first game? Yes, all the original Overwatch characters are available in Overwatch 2.

15. Will Overwatch 2 continue to add new characters? Yes, Blizzard has committed to expanding the roster of Overwatch 2 with new heroes in future seasons.

These new heroes, including the ones released post-launch, have fundamentally changed the dynamics of Overwatch 2, introducing new strategies, team compositions, and gameplay possibilities. They are integral to the game’s evolution and offer a compelling reason for both returning and new players to dive in. If you would like to learn more about the culture surrounding games and education please check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.