Overwatch 2 features a diverse roster of characters. However, for players hopping into the competitive FPS game for the first time, developer Blizzard says only a limited selection will be available. Meanwhile, new heroes will have a different acquisition path to the original, iconic Overwatch lineup. With these different paths to acquiring heroes, players are going to want to know the starting heroes and characters in Overwatch 2.
Featuring 34 playable heroes at launch, with new hero Kiriko as a part of Season One, there are a whole host of characters that players will need to spend time getting their mitts on – especially if they’ve never played Overwatch before. As a game that relies heavily on switching, it’s important that players know how to unlock heroes in Overwatch 2, considering the fact that these characters will form the foundation of each Overwatch 2 meta.
But, to know who you start out with, check out the Starting heroes and characters in Overwatch 2 for new players to get a grip on first.
Who are the starting heroes and characters in Overwatch 2?
For brand new players, only a small number of heroes will be available when first starting out. These starting heroes and characters in Overwatch 2 are:
- Lucio
- Mercy
- Moira
- Orisa
- Pharah
- Reaper
- Reinhardt
- Soldier 76
- Torbjorn
- Tracer
- Widowmaker
- Winston
- Zarya
In Season One, new players will also unlock Junker Queen and Sojourn upon logging in for the first time.
Overwatch 2 hero unlock order
As part of Overwatch 2’s First Time User Experience, newbies will be required to play “approximately 100 matches” in order to unlock the rest of the original Overwatch roster. Here is the order in which those heroes will be unlocked:
- Genji
- D.Va
- Cassidy
- Ana
- Hanzo
- Junkrat
- Roadhog
- Symmetra
- Zenyatta
- Bastion
- Sigma
- Ashe
- Brigitte
- Mei
- Doomfist
- Baptiste
- Sombra
- Wrecking Ball
- Echo
In general, there are four main ways to unlock heroes in Overwatch 2:
- Level up a fresh account
- Own an existing Overwatch account
- Founder’s Pack
- Battle Pass
We have already gone over levelling up a fresh account. Players who have simply migrated over from the original Overwatch will already have the full cast of original heroes unlocked. Logging in for the first time will also net them Junker Queen and Sojourn.
Those who have played the original Overwatch are in for a treat. Upon logging into Overwatch 2 for the first time – as long as it’s before the end of Season Two – existing players will be given access to the Founder’s Pack. Cracking open this pack will not only grant cosmetic goodies, but will also unlock instant access to Kiriko.
The Overwatch 2 Battle Pass will feature a brand new hero each season, kicking off with Kiriko in Season One.
All future heroes must be acquired through the Battle Pass’ free or premium track, which can be achieved either through naturally playing and unlocking each tier, or by paying with real-world currency to speed up the process.
And that’s all you need to know about the starting roster of heroes and characters Overwatch 2. Be sure to check out our Overwatch 2 tier list if you’re trying to figure out which of these heroes you should be playing.