Kiriko Overwatch 2: Release date, abilities, and more

As the Overwatch 2 community awaits the release of the game's latest iteration, Blizzard unveils their newest addition to the roster of Heroes. Kiriko, a Japanese Support Hero, will be the 35th playable character that the Overwatch playerbase can enjoy during their in-game endeavors.

Kiriko will be made available to the Overwatch 2 playerbase when the game releases on October 4, 2022. Players who own Overwatch 1 will have free immediate access to the new Hero, whereas new players will have other means of unlocking the Hero for free.

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Overwatch 2 players will have access to Kiriko when the game releases on October 4

Overwatch fans all over the world have been longing for the release of a new Support Hero, with Baptiste's release in February 2019 being the most recent addition to the Support roster.

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Abilities

Kiriko and her Kitsune companion will add a fresh touch to the roster of Support Heroes. With an ability toolkit that significantly aids teammates in times of crisis, Kiriko is a Hero that the Overwatch community will enjoy picking as their Support choice in various matchmaking modes.

Primary Fire: Healing Ofuda

The newest Support Hero in Overwatch 2 arrives with a highly effective primary fire that can heal nearby allies. Upon using Healing Ofuda, Kiriko releases a set of five Japanese leaflets that can be directed towards nearby allies, healing them on contact.

Secondary Fire: Kunai

Kiriko's secondary fire, Kunai, is her only damage-dealing ability. She can use a set of 12 kunai, which, upon firing, can deal substantial damage to the head and minor damage to the body. The reload motion will be initiated after the set of 12 kunai have been depleted.

Passive ability: Wall Climb

Kiriko is also equipped with a passive ability that allows her to climb walls, similar to the Japanese Hero's DPS counterparts, Hanzo and Genji.

Ability 1: Swift Step

Kiriko's Swift Step is perhaps one of the most intriguing abilities Overwatch has seen in recent times. This ability allows Kiriko to teleport immediately to any ally she has in her line of sight. The highlight of Swift Step, however, is its ability to even teleport behind walls, allowing her to arrive at her teammate's aid even at a moment's notice.

Ability 2: Protection Suzu

One of Kiriko's most impactful abilities is Protection Suzu, a grenade that can be thrown onto the ground to make nearby allies invulnerable, protecting them against all negative effects. This lets Kiriko and her teammates charge into enemy territories while being immune to their abilities for a brief period.

Ultimate: Kitsune Rush

Upon using her ultimate ability, Kiriko summons a Kitsune (fox spirit) that charges through a gateway of torii gates, accelerating the movement and attack speed of Kiriko and teammates within the range of the gates.

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How to unlock Kiriko

As mentioned earlier, players who own a copy of Overwatch can access Kiriko as soon as they log in to their first session of Overwatch 2 after the October 4 release. Players who do not own the game's prequel, however, will have two options to unlock Kiriko.

Players can purchase the Season 1 Battlepass for 1000 credits ($10) to unlock Kiriko instantly. Those who do not wish to purchase the Battlepass will have to earn XP and complete 55 tiers of the 80 tier event to unlock Kiriko.

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Kiriko will join Sojourn and Junker Queen as the newest additions to Overwatch 2 in the game's transition from its prequel. The latest Overwatch title will also include a variety of new maps, game modes, and other in-game changes aimed at enhancing the experience of the Overwatch community. Players worldwide can enjoy Overwatch 2 and its content after its release on October 4, 2022.