Overwatch 2 news is coming hard and fast thanks to its long-awaited beta. Fans have known for a long time that Overwatch's original heroes will undergo significant changes in the new game, but only now can fans see the length and breadth of those changes. Overwatch 2 brings major reworks to quite a few characters; Orisa's kit has very nearly been rebuilt from the ground up, Doomfist has switched from being a Damage character to being a Tank, and so on. Of course, the advent of an Overwatch sequel means that new characters are on the way too, like the new Damage hero Sojourn.
The Overwatch world's narrative will go in bold new directions in the sequel, meaning Blizzard has rich opportunities to introduce lots of new characters. However, in the game's early days, new characters shouldn't be a priority. Overwatch's original cast of characters are undergoing a dramatic change, and Blizzard would be wise to prioritize balancing those characters as best it can before it leaps into new frontiers of Overwatch design. In the long run, Overwatch 2's new characters ought to be strong compliments to the original Overwatch cast, rather than overshadowing the characters responsible for the franchise's success.
Overwatch 2 Hero Priorities
There's certainly a strong temptation to make as many new characters as possible for Overwatch 2. The game's new 5v5 format, where players can only have one Tank per team, changes strategy dramatically and encourages players to try new team compositions and strategies; it also opens the door to even more self-sufficient, impactful Tank designs. Overwatch lore will also grow significantly in Overwatch 2, which features an ongoing plot that the first game lacked. That story is sure to prompt lots of interesting character encounters. What's more, although Overwatch covers a lot of nationalities with its playable cast, there are still a lot of nations and cultures left that could inspire wonderful heroes in Overwatch 2.
In spite of all this potential, though, Blizzard needs to prioritize the original Overwatch cast first. Since many of Overwatch 2's characters are nigh unrecognizable in mechanical terms after their reworks, there'll likely be a lot of growing pains in Overwatch 2's early days. Focusing on new character production while known Overwatch heroes are still finding their new niches will put Overwatch's old heroes at risk of neglect. The classic Overwatch cast forms the root of Overwatch 2, and no matter how many new characters Blizzard produces in the game's early life, they will keep that role. Overwatch's core cast needs strong support, or else Overwatch 2 will reflect poorly on its ancestor's reputation.
The Future of Overwatch 2's Cast
Luckily, all signs suggest that Blizzard does plan on being patient when it comes to adding new heroes to Overwatch 2. For the moment, Overwatch 2 only has one new hero, the railgun-toting Damage hero Sojourn. Overwatch 2 will undoubtedly add new heroes for all positions over time, but for the moment, the reworked Overwatch cast retains the spotlight. They'll certainly need a lot of attention during the beta, so it's good to see that Blizzard isn't trying to juggle reworked heroes and lots of new characters just yet.
It's entirely possible that multiple new characters will join Overwatch 2's cast before launch. The new closed beta may only be the first of several, since Blizzard has yet to provide a release window for the shooter. Ideally that means Orisa, Doomfist, and the other reworked characters get time to settle into the new game well before release, especially if the number of reworks changes as Overwatch 2 beta testing goes on. For the moment, Overwatch fans looking forward to new characters will just have to try to get into the beta and focus on adjusting to Overwatch 2's gameplay rhythm before the full game launches.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
