New Overwatch 2 hero Kiriko is basically Genji as a support healer

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Details about Overwatch 2's new hero Kiriko dropped at the Tokyo Game Show

Overwatch 2 Kiriko
(Image credit: Blizzard)

We've got our first proper look at the new Overwatch 2 support hero Kiriko, and healer mains should be very happy. A Kiriko gameplayer trailer debuted today at the Tokyo Games Show, giving players a chance to see the newest hero in action. 

Kiriko is a speedy, dynamic healer who was developed "with 5v5 in mind" according to the Overwatch developer update. Her primary ability is Healing Ofuda, which sends forth bits of paper talismans that are believed to be imbued with powers. They can hone in on players, and even though they seem a bit slow, are easy to use to heal flying heroes. Her secondary is a kunai, which she can throw out quite quickly - these will be dangerous in the hands of a player with good accuracy.

Kiriko also has an Ally Teleport ability which allows her to quickly teleport to friendly players - and it even works through walls. Her Protection Suzu ability throws out a small bell that makes any ally in its AOE briefly invulnerable while also cleansing debuffs. Don't worry, Blizzard has made sure her Suzu ability isn't on-par with Baptiste's Immortality Field. "This is a lot shorter duration. It's very useful and you can use it to counter a lot of abilities but you have to be able to time it really well," assures senior game designer Piero Herrera.

And if Kiriko feels familiar, that's intentional. "There was a lot of inspiration taken from Genji," associate narrative designer Kyungseo Min said during a roundtable interview that GamesRadar attended. "In fact, one of the starting points to this character was how can we create a support hero that DPS players like Genji would enjoy playing."

Kiriko even has close ties to the Shimada Clan. Her mother was a fierce ninja who trained both Hanzo and Genji when Kiriko was a young girl, so the brothers treat her sort of like a "cute little niece," according to Min. Min assures us that you can expect tons of fun voice lines between her and the Shimada brothers - especially when Kiriko sweeps in to save the day and heal them. 

Kiriko grew up in Kanezaka under the tutelage of a ninja mother and a grandmother who taught her all the responsibilities of taking care of the Kanezaka fox shrine, to which they have ancestral ties. Therefore, Kiriko represents a balance between fighting and healing, and is also "a trickster, like the fox spirit," according to Min.

If new heroes are going to be part of the battle pass, we fear it's going to be bad for players and Overwatch 2 itself.

Alyssa Mercante
Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.