Since Overwatch 2 saw the debut of playable story missions in Season 6, fans have been speculating what this means for the hero-shooter's future. Though there was controversy surrounding the price tag of Overwatch 2: Invasion, it appears that they've been well-received overall. Blizzard hasn't confirmed an exact date for when PvE missions will return, but a blog post from the game director has made it clear that it won't happen before 2024.
The lore behind the Overwatch 2 universe is quite vast, which isn't surprising considering that there are currently 38 playable characters on the roster. The direction that future story missions could take seems nearly infinite. However, if they intend to use the latest Support hero Illari, then there are a few extra hurdles in her way.
Illari May Struggle to Find Her Place in Overwatch 2
Ilari's origin story was showcased in a cinematic that was released on the PlayOverwatch channel in August. The visuals and animation were largely praised by viewers, but it was the tragedy that struck within it that truly caught people's attention. Not only was it revealed that Illari accidentally killed all the Inti Warriors, but it also showcased how powerful her abilities truly are.
While the Peruvian hero's backstory is both unique and intriguing, hers is the first cinematic from the Overwatch franchise that doesn't have any clear connections to other characters in the game. Since all the hero's official ages were recently revealed, Illari is confirmed to be 18, which makes her the youngest human on the roster. If Blizzard chooses to include her in future Overwatch 2 PvE missions, they may find it difficult to explain how someone so young and inexperienced could come into contact with the Overwatch Task Force.
There is an option the writers could explore that has been done before. A mission involving Illari could play out similarly to Lucio's Rio de Janeiro story, "Resistance," wherein former members meet him in his homeland. Perhaps Talon, or an Omnic threat, will appear in Peru which will lead members of Overwatch to find Illari.
However, players may not be as interested in seeing a singular character's journey when there are multiple heroes that can be introduced together. For example, Hanzo, Genji, and Kiriko could all be featured in a single Japanese mission. On the other hand, any of the Junkers such as Junker Queen, Roadhog, and Junkrat could be grouped together while Symmetra and Lifeweaver have a shared history as roommates at Vishkar. Several characters in Overwatch 2 are already interconnected, so finding Illari a place where she doesn't feel like an afterthought might be tough.
In the end, it may be easier for Blizzard to leave Illari out of the story entirely. Of course, for those who have begun to be invested in her lore, this would be disappointing. However, since the franchise recently tested the waters with an Overwatch 2 animated miniseries, Blizzard may have plans to develop Illari's character through similar methods. The company is also continuing to release comics and short stories which are another viable avenue.
How Blizzard could, or if it even will, include the Support hero in a future PvE mode is still to be seen. Gameplay-wise, Illari is already having a big impact on Overwatch 2's core game modes due to her strong kit, but the developers should also consider how she fits into the game's universe. Though it's exciting that she has introduced a new culture, it comes with the downside of making her a bit of an outcast for now.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
