In the next hero shooter from Blizzard, Kiriko is the newest healer.
The surprise from Blizzard has now been revealed. Late Friday night, a YouTuber by the name of Kuriboh Cervantes posted a video introducing Kiriko, the newest hero in Overwatch 2. The firm tried to censor the content, an incomplete animated short that introduces Kiriko and highlights some of her skills, but it was already too late. Online, the cinematic is simple to find.
The next hero shooter from Blizzard is called Overwatch 2. The sequel, which completely replaces the original game, has already changed what Overwatch is, with its free-to-play business model being the most significant adjustment. Naturally, a new game implies new characters, and Overwatch 2 has added a few new faces to its cast, including Sojourn (the first playable Black woman in the game) and Junker Queen, a tank with a Mad Max aesthetic. In a radical shift from how you typically acquire Overwatch characters through free updates, new heroes will periodically be added and unlocked through the new battle pass.
One of those heroes is Kiriko, a support character accidentally revealed by Blizzard earlier this week in a section of the $40 Watchpoint Pack for Overwatch 2 that has since been deleted. This pack contains skins, virtual in-game currency, a few Season 1 Premium battle pass tiers, and automatic access to Kiriko once the player signs up.
The unfinished animated short for Kiriko arrived from Kuriboh Cervantes while Blizzard was attempting to delete all references to the character from the promotional materials for Overwatch 2. The trailer, which was uploaded in Spanish and features unfinished graphics, depicts the green-haired fox protagonist walking through her home estate and communicating with a possible younger sister via sign language before “face-kicking” the Hashimoto clan, the game’s Yakuza. She uses two kunai in combat, seems to be able to heal others, and can supposedly teleport anywhere in the area. The ghostly torii gates that Kiriko opens near the end of the battle scene seem to enhance her and her companions’ skills. I’m picturing a hybrid of Lucio, Moira, and Tracer, and that seems like a real pain in the rear.
Blizzard has recently focused on damage management, but not because it is being sued again. Instead, the business has been “addressing some incomplete information” it has posted regarding Overwatch 2. According to John Spector, the marketing director for the game, heroes in the follow-up will be included in the battle pass’s free tier, so you can either pay to unlock them up front or grind for hours to get the game’s new cast of characters. Bummer.
On October 4, Overwatch 2 will be released on the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and Nintendo 3DS.