The long-awaited release of Overwatch 2 represents the beginning of a new era for Blizzard’s acclaimed hero shooter. It converts Overwatch to a 5v5 PvP format, overhauls the gameplay, and adds Battle Passes, a new Competitive Play system, and other features. Interested in learning how to unlock heroes in Overwatch 2, well this guide is for you.
Players who never played the previous game will start with only a small chunk of the whole hero roster unlocked in Overwatch 2, which is one of the significant modifications made in order to transition Blizzard’s classic hero shooter to the new free-to-play model. Before you unlock the locked heroes by engaging in matchmaking, you won’t be able to play as any of them.
Key Takeaways
- Overwatch 2 is the newest entry to blizzard’s acclaimed hero shooter.
- For new experiences, players must unlock heroes.
- Players that owned and played the original overwatch will already have the full roster of heroes available to play from the start.
- New players will have to go through a tutorial to unlock 13 heroes.
- 2 new heroes will be available after logging into the game before the end of the first season.
- Kiriko will be available after either reaching tier 55 in the battle pass system or buying the premium battle pass for 1000 overwatch coins.
The addition of the First-Time User Experience, a tutorial-like system that gradually exposes new players to the game by restricting which characters they may play, is one of the greatest adjustments Overwatch 2 makes. As players gain experience, the bulk of the game’s cast may be unlocked, but how exactly do you accomplish that? And how can you get access to new Overwatch 2 characters like Kiriko, the brand-new support? We’ll cover all you need to know about unlocked heroes in Overwatch 2 in this tutorial.
It should be noted that while playing Overwatch 2, owners of the first game will immediately have access to its 32 Heroes. Additionally, by just signing in before the game’s first season finishes in February 2023, these players will acquire both Junker Queen and Sojourn. As a result, fans of the series just need to worry about unlocking Kiriko.
How To Unlock Heroes In Overwatch 2
To unlock some of the Heroes in Overwatch 2, players who have never bought the original game must first finish the tutorial. Fans will subsequently be able to take the following 13 Heroes into multiplayer games after they have completed the tutorial:
- Lucio
- Mercy
- Moira
- Orisa
- Pharah
- Reaper
- Reinhardt
- Soldier 76
- Torbjorn
- Tracer
- Widowmaker
- Winston
- Zarya
As you get comfortable with the game and familiarize yourself with how it works, you will no doubt be interested in trying out other characters as well.
With the first 13 Heroes unlocked; players can set their sights on the remaining 19. To earn these Heroes, Overwatch players must complete “challenges,” which are simple to participate in designated numbers of matches.
Specifically, you’ll need to play 150 matches in order to have every single character from the original game unlocked, though you’ll begin unlocking heroes way before that threshold, too. For full clarity, here are the number of matches that are required for unlocking each Hero, and it is important to note that wins count as two matches after Ana has been obtained:
|
Hero |
Number of Games to Unlock |
| Genji | 1 Game |
| D.Va | 2 Games |
| Cassidy | 3 Games |
| Ana | 4 Games |
| Hanzo | 9 Games |
| Junkrat | 12 Games |
| Roadhog | 15 Games |
| Symmetra | 20 Games |
| Zenyatta | 25 Games |
| Bastion | 30 Games |
| Sigma | 40 Games |
| Ashe | 50 Games |
| Brigitte | 60 Games |
| Mei | 70 Games |
| Doomfist | 85 Games |
| Baptiste | 100 Games |
| Sombra | 115 Games |
| Wrecking Ball | 130 Games |
| Echo | 150 Games |
| Sojourn | Login during Overwatch 2 Season 1 |
| Junker Queen | Login during Overwatch 2 Season 1 |
Note that Overwatch 2’s new heroes like Kiriko are unlocked in a different way, which we’ll go over in the section below.
Overwatch 2: How to Unlock Kiriko
To get access to new heroes such as Kiriko, players will need to reach Tier 55 on the seasonal Overwatch 2 Battle Pass that corresponds to the season that the new hero came out. For example, in order to unlock Kiriko, for example, you need to reach Tier 55 on the Season 1 Battle Pass, and fans that opt to pursue this path should focus their efforts on completing challenges.
Ranking up the Battle Pass requires you to accrue XP and level up, which is done by completing matches and finishing daily and weekly gameplay challenges. Note that you can boost your XP gains by 20% by grouping up with other players, so it’s highly recommended to do so. Alternatively, players can unlock Kiriko immediately by purchasing the Premium Battle Pass for 1,000 Overwatch Coins.
Don’t worry if you arrived late and were unable to unlock a new hero before the season ended. Heroes from previous seasons will be unlocked by accomplishing unique gameplay challenges, according to Blizzard. Additionally, with Overwatch Coins, players will be able to purchase characters from previous seasons in Overwatch 2.
On the Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Overwatch 2 is currently available. It’s undoubtedly among the best competitive shooters currently available, and since it’s free to play, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try. As an alternative, gamers may buy the Overwatch 2: Watchpoint Pack, which includes 2,000 Overwatch Coins, access to the Premium Battle Pass for Season 1, and a number of exclusive Legendary skins.
Hope you’re enjoying the game and this guide on how to unlock heroes in Overwatch 2. Be sure to check out more of our Overwatch 2 guides written by our talented writers. See you soon in another guide!
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