New characters, maps, game modes, gameplay changes, and a method for content distribution were all part of Overwatch 2’s launch on October 4. New heroes may be obtained by either purchasing the premium pass or completing the free track since the series has changed to a seasonal content and battle pass structure.
On launch day, the first season of the game began, and with it came three new heroes: Sojourn (DPS), Junker Queen (tank), and Kiriko (support) (support). Another new tank hero will be featured on December 6 for Season 2, and future seasons will also feature new heroes.
But how exactly will Overwatch 2 gamers get these new heroes?
Overwatch’s commercial lead and Blizzard vice president, Jon Spector, stated through Twitter post, “that new Overwatch 2 characters will be accessible on the free track of the Battle Pass,” after some leaked information about the planned battle pass system came online before to launch. It has been made clear to players that new heroes are made available at tier 55 of the free track or immediately upon purchase of the premium battle pass.
However, what happens after the season ends and the hero is not unlocked?
Spector said in his response that there would be “free methods to gain new heroes in future seasons too” if players don’t achieve a certain rank in the battle pass to unlock a new hero. After images of a rumored new support hero, Kiriko, leaked online, Spector announced that players who buy the season one premium battle pass will have access to Kiriko as one of the “80 levels” of incentives.
It’s not clear how precisely heroes will be unlocked, but players will be able to do so by completing story-driven challenges involving those characters. The Heroes section of the Challenge menu is where players expect to find these tasks, but further details on how to access previously unlocked heroes from the battle pass will be provided before the second season begins.
The Overwatch 2 website has further details on the battle pass system and how to unlock new characters.