Kitsune-inspired support hero Kiriko confirmed for Overwatch 2

After a community leak from several days ago sparking a swirl of speculation about a fox-eared future hero in Overwatch 2, Blizzard has released a gameplay teaser featuring just such a hero. Meet Kiriko, the newest character to join the upcoming Overwatch 2 release roster. After years of waiting for a new healer/support character, we will finally get a new one, courtesy of this foxy lady ninja.

Kiriko is descended from a famed ninja who has trained the two Shimada brothers we know and love from the original Overwatch roster. That would make her the third hero of Japanese descent in the game so far, and she is all about the mystical nine-tailed fox spirit of Japanese myth, the kitsune.

Related: All new Overwatch 2 heroes

From what we could glean in the gameplay trailer, as a support hero, Kiriko’s kit is centered around team buffs and mobility, as she is able to dart about and provide support wherever is needed. Her weapons of choice are the Ofuda, the paper talismans she throws to heal her allies, and the Kunai, also known as ninja-darts by some, which she can use to deadly effect.

Kiriko other abilities include what seems to be a dash move, similar to Hanzo’s, and just like him and his brother, she can climb walls. And also, similar to another support hero, Baptiste, it seems that Kiriko will have an invulnerability-zone type of ability that will likely have a long cooldown attached to it.

Kiriko’s ultimate is called Kitsune Rush and is a wave-type cast that grants several bonuses to all allies that it touches. It looks like it’s going to be an entry-style ability (like Brigitte’s Rally, for instance), used to initiate team fights by letting her team overpower the enemy through her buffs.

Kiriko is set to join the game with the release of Overwatch 2 to Early Access on October 4 and will be available to all original Overwatch players who log in during the new game’s first season.

About the author

Miljan Truc

I have been into gaming since the days of Sega Mega Drive and Amiga. Over the years in gaming, I have raided at a high level, completed rare achievements, coached other players, and written about games since 2016. Whether it’s been clicking heads; developing cities, colonies, and empires; or commanding parties of adventurers; I’ve always prided myself on being able to understand the underlying mechanics of games. Outside of gaming, I enjoy a variety of activities and hobbies, including playing with my pup Astra, working out, as well as crafting, painting, and leatherwork.

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