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Collage style image featuring Juno, Lifeweaver, and Venture from Overwatch

Overwatch 2 Character Release Order

The official release date for every Overwatch 2 character.

There’s a lot that you can tell about Overwatch by its hero release order. Not only does it trace the growth of the game, but it also mirrors the evolution of strategies and playstyles.

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Overwatch 2 continues the legacy of its predecessor, “Overwatch 1”, by maintaining the original roster and expanding it with new additions. The game is constantly evolving, with new Heroes joining the ranks regularly.

What Order Did Overwatch 1 and 2 Heroes come out?

Check below all Overwatch 2 heroes listed by release date:

Base Roster

To start off, these are the characters who were released in Overwatch’s base roster in no particular order: 

HeroRoleRelease
D.vaTankLaunch
ReinhardtTankLaunch
RoadhogTankLaunch
WinstonTankLaunch
ZaryaTankLaunch
BastionDamageLaunch
CassidyDamageLaunch
GenjiDamageLaunch
HanzoDamageLaunch
JunkratDamageLaunch
MeiDamageLaunch
PharahDamageLaunch
ReaperDamageLaunch
Soldier: 76DamageLaunch
SymmetraDamageLaunch
TorbjornDamageLaunch
TracerDamageLaunch
WidowmakerDamageLaunch
LucioSupportLaunch
MercySupportLaunch
ZenyattaSupportLaunch

Post Launch Overwatch 1 Heroes

After the base roster, here is every newcomer from both the first game into the second. Their names listed will go from when they were released. 

HeroRoleRelease Date
AnaSupportJuly 2016
SombraDamageNovember 2016
OrisaTankMarch 2017
DoomfistTankJuly 2017
MoiraSupportNovember 2017
BrigitteSupportMarch 2018
Wrecking BallTankJuly 2018
AsheDamageNovember 2018
BaptisteSupportMarch 2019
SigmaTankAugust 2019
EchoDamageApril 2020

Overwatch 2 New Heroes Release Order

HeroRoleRelease Date
SojournDamageApril 26, 2022 (OW2 Beta)
Junker QueenTankJune 28, 2022 (OW2 Beta)
KirikoSupportOctober 4, 2022
RamattraTankDecember 6, 2022
LifeweaverSupportApril 11, 2023
IllariSupportAugust 10, 2023
MaugaTankDecember 5, 2023
VentureDamageApril 16, 2024
Space Ranger JunoSupportAugust 27, 2024

Blizzard seems set on releasing a steady roster of new heroes to help keep the game fresh. It’s hard to complain; Overwatch isn’t the competitive, acclaimed FPS that it used to be. Now, most of its playerbase is looking for ways to invent fun team comps and having a good time with their friends.

Don’t get me wrong, the game needs balance, and the characters should be fun without being broken. But, it’s gonna be a while before Overwatch 2 gets back to where the franchise once stood, if it ever gets as popular as the original. It’s hard to tell if the devs can keep the characters diverse in terms of mechanics, but they’ sure’ve hit the mark with recent support heroes like Illari and Lifeweaver that challenge the game’s norms and elevate the FPS title’s skill ceiling.

What Order Do You Unlock Overwatch Characters?

Illari-Healing-Pylon-Overwatch-2
Image: Blizzard

You can unlock characters, including some of the new heroes released after Overwatch 2, in a specific order that’ is’s not tied to the hero release order of the first game. The characters will be unlocked as you’re playing the game. The more you play, the more heroes you unlock. However, some Overwatch 2 characters can only be unlocked by completing a special challenge or buying them from the shop.

HeroNumber of Games
Genji1
D.Va2
Cassidy3
Ana4
Hanzo9
Junkrat12
Roadhog15
Symmetra20
Zenyatta25
Bastion30
Sigma40
Ashe50
Brigitte60
Mei70
Doomfist85
Baptiste100
Sombra115
Wrecking Ball130
Echo150

I find this an effective strategy to keep players invested in the game. The process of unlocking each character doesn’t take long, providing players with constant goals. By the time all characters are unlocked, players are likely to have developed a liking for the game and continue playing. This approach helps Blizzard expand the game’s player base, even if it’s temporary, thereby enhancing the experience for dedicated players.

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Image of Elliott Gatica
Elliott Gatica
Elliott is a passionate gamer who has dipped his feet into basically every genre there is. He has a soft spot for fighters, shooters, and action RPGs though. Catch him throwing hands once the new iterations of Tekken, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat come out.
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Davi Braid
Davi Braid is a Staff Writer for Attack of the Fanboy with a passion for storytelling. He has been a full-time writer for the past 5 years. His work spans RPGs, Fighting Games, and many other genres, showcasing his versatility and broad interests. With a degree in International Relations, his writing has been published across various outlets and niches. Leaving a traditional office job, he built a career as a writer, embracing new genres and discovering hidden gems in gaming.