Back in the days of the original Overwatch, new heroes usually came free for players, but with the new free-to-play format of Overwatch 2, heroes will now have to be unlocked. Each hero has a variety of challenges to complete before unlocking them. Still, the goal is ultimately to get players used to the game before they can access the more complicated heroes.
First, let’s check out the heroes available on default. A total of 13 heroes will be playable out of 35. They are:
Tanks: Orisa, Reinhardt, Winston, Zarya
Damage: Pharah, Reaper, Soldier: 76, Torbjorn, Tracer, Widowmaker
Support – Lucio, Mercy, Moira
Though new players only start with less than half the heroes, the roster will gradually grow the more games you play. You could probably take a whole month to complete the entire roster, but by then, you’ll probably have a good idea of how matches go, and you won’t have such a hard time when you get matched with more experienced players.
Unlocking the Roster
Here are the requirements for unlocking the rest of the Overwatch 2 roster:
Genji (Damage) – Play 1 game
D.Va (Tank) – Play 2 games
Cassidy (Damage) – Play 3 games
Ana (Support) – Play 4 games
Hanzo (Damage) – Play 9 games
Junkrat (Damage) – Play 12 games
Roadhog (Tank) – Play 15 games
Symmetra (Damage) – Play 20 games
Zenyatta (Support) – Play 25 games
Bastion (Damage) – Play 30 games
Sigma (Tank) – Play 40 games
Ashe (Damage) – Play 50 games
Brigitte (Support) – Play 60 games
Mei (Damage) – Play 70 games
Doomfist (Tank) – Play 85 games
Baptiste (Support) – Play 100 games
Sombra (Damage) – Play 115 games
Wrecking Ball (Tank) – Play 130 games
Echo (Damage) – Play 150 games
Take note that the heroes that take more to unlock are the more difficult to master, what with their complicated kits and skill requirements. Admittedly, Genji isn’t an easy hero to master either, but he’s a walk in the park compared to characters like Echo and Doomfist.
New Heroes of Overwatch 2
The heroes listed above were all available to play in the first Overwatch, but when it comes to the characters that debuted in Overwatch 2, you’ll have to do a different set of challenges to unlock them.
You’ll have to do a set of different challenges as the hero you want to unlock in the Practice Range, which will get you used to their kit, but the hard part is simply winning the required amount of games to unlock the hero.
Don’t forget you must also activate the hero challenge to ensure your wins are counted toward a specific hero. Here are the unlock requirements:
Kiriko
Wins: Win 35 games queued as All Roles or playing Support heroes in competitive matchmaking, Quick Play, or No Limits.
- Practice Kunai Crits: Get two critical hits with Kiriko’s Kunai.
- Practice Healing Ofuda: Heal 250 damage with Kiriko’s Healing Ofuda on allied bots.
- Practice Protection Suzu: Use Protection Suzu on two allied bots simultaneously.
- Practice Swift Step: Use Swift Step through a wall to an allied bot.
- Practice Wall Climb: Use Kiriko’s passive, Wall Climb, in the Practice Range.
- Practice Kitsune Rush: Buff two allied buffs with Kiriko’s Ultimate, Kitsune Rush.
Sojourn
- Wins: Win 35 games as DPS heroes in different game modes, like Quick Play, No Limits, or Competitive Mode.
- Practice Railgun Primary Fire: Eliminate three enemy bots using Railgun’s primary fire mode.
- Practice Railgun Secondary Fire: Eliminate two enemy bots using Railgun’s secondary fire.
- Use Power Slide: Deal damage while using Sojourn’s Power Slide ability.
- Practice Disruptor Shot: Damage two enemy bots with a single Disruptor Shot.
- Practice Overclock: Kill three enemy bots with Sojourn’s Ultimate, Overclock.
Junker Queen
- Wins: Win matches as a Tank hero in Quick Play, Competitive, or No Limits. As with Sojourn and Kiriko, 35 wins are required.
- Practice Scattergun: Eliminate three bots with Scattergun.
- Use Jagged Blade: Recall Jagged Blade while still stuck in an enemy.
- Practice Commanding Shout: Provide two friendly bots with the buff from a single use of Commanding Shout.
- Practice Carnage: Use Carnage on an enemy bot while impaled with Jagged Blade to pull them forward.
- Use Adrenaline Rush: Heal yourself using Adrenaline Rush.
- Practice Rampage: Damage two enemy robots in one use of her Ultimate, Rampage.
Ramattra
Wins: Win 35 games as a Tank hero in any game mode.
Practice Void Accelerator: Eliminate three enemy bots with Void Accelerator.
Practice Ravenous Vortex: Use Ravenous Vortex during Omnic Form and Nemesis Form.
Use Pummel: Damage two enemy robots simultaneously with Pummel while in Ramattra’s Nemesis Form.
Practice Barrier: Absorb 30 damage while using Void Barrier.
Use Block: Block 30 damage while in Ramattra’s Nemesis Form.
Practice Annihilation: Extend the duration of Ramattra’s Ultimate, Annihilation, for six seconds or more while near enemy robots.
Lifeweaver
Wins: Win 25 games queued as All Roles or by playing Support in Quick Play, No Limits, or Competitive.
Practice Thorn Volley: Eliminate 2 bots with Thorn Volley in the Practice Range.
Use Healing Blossom: Restore 75 Health with Healing Blossom (secondary fire)
Practice Life Grip: Use Life Grip on an AI bot in the Practice Range
Practice Petal Platform: Have yourself or an AI bot stand on the Petal Platform and be lifted into the air in the Practice Range
Use Rejuvenating Dash: Restore 25 Health to yourself by using Rejuvenating Dash
Practice Tree of Life: Restore 50 health and block 50 incoming damage using Lifeweaver’s Ultimate Tree of Life in the Practice Range
Money Talks
Admittedly, it is a lot of work to unlock everyone on the roster, but there is also the option just to buy heroes in the shop. If you want, you can also dish out USD 19.99 to unlock all Overwatch 2 heroes, including the new heroes Sojourn, Junker Queen, Kiriko, and Ramattra; you’ll also get 1000 Overwatch Coins to spend as well as 3 Legendary Skins.
Read: How To Earn Competitive Points in Overwatch 2
It’s also worth noting that anyone who owns Overwatch 1 can access all OW 1 heroes automatically and will just have to work for the new heroes.
Regardless of the conditions, it’s probably still advisable to just unlock the heroes naturally, as the developers put down a system that won’t have new players too overwhelmed. But if you have the cash and spare and are feeling confident, you can always dish out the Hero Pack.
