After months of leaks and hints, the new Overwatch 2 Kiriko character has finally been made official. The third new hero set to arrive with the upcoming PVP game, they're the final of the first wave, meaning anyone revealed later down the line will be part of the game's first post-launch content update.
To prep you for the launch of this one, we're going go over the known Kiriko skins, abilities, and a few early tips we can deduce from the trailer she arrived with. This new support looks to have a little bit of everything, so there's bound to be a lot of testing needed to get the most out of their kit.
For more Overwatch 2 content, check out our extensive Overwatch 2 tier list in time for launch. If you're queueing for a particular role, we've even used that one to break down the tier list based on the best DPS, healer, and tank picks. Long gone are the days when the attack and defense heroes were separated.
All Overwatch 2 Kiriko skins
Right now, we've only seen the standard Kiriko skin - her default one. That's by design, though. It's best to debut a new character in their original design before confusing character details with obscure skins from annual events.
In the Battle Pass announcement, though, we got a look at a couple new Kiriko skins. There's no rating on them, but the details suggest one is a rare and the other is a Legendary obtained through Battle Pass progression.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko ability list
- Protection Suzu (Ability)
- Upon impact, allies in teha rea become briefly invulnerable and are cleansed of most negative effects.
- Kunai (Basic Attack)
- A thrown projectile that deals increased critical damage.
- Healing Ofuda (Alt attack)
- Channels a burst of healing talismans that seek out targeted allies.
- Swift Step (Ability)
- Teleport directly to an ally, even through walls
- Wall Climb (Passive)
- Jumping at a wall allows Kiriko to climb it
- Kitsune Rush (Ult)
- Summons a fox spirit that charts a path forward, bestowing allies to follow its trail with increased movement and attack speed and reduced cooldowns
Kiriko uses a mix of shields, heals, and teleports to keep her team topped up and prepped for anything that may come their way.
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We see her active ability shield a small team from Junkrat's devestating Rip-tire, Swift Step teleport her straight to the side of an ally beyond a wall, and Kitsune Rush usher in the squad into a proper push.
Throughout that, she's seen scaling walls to watch over from above and scale rooftops to quickly get into position, use her homing Healing Ofuda to patch up a buddy, and deliver swift death to Hanzo with her Kunai.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko tips
From the ability list and reveal video alone, we can deduce a couple of things.
Notably, Kitsune is a very mobile character and will likely suffer from a lack of defense or sustain to balance her out. This means you'll want to use Wall Climb and Swift Step liberally to stay out of harm's way. She can't seem to heal herself, so you'll be relying on retreat tactics to heal up. You can't heal your allies if you're dead.
Projection Suzu is likely best saved for heavy burst moments - like during an enemy attacker's ultimate or during the early moments of a group struggle.
Though she's a healer, Kiriko's critical hit damage and high mobility will see her used as an assassin. If your aim is up to the task, you'll be able to easily position yourself behind enemy lines and pick off healers and DPS with ease.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko lore
A few days after the new character was release, Blizzard dropped the official Kiriko lore video going over her lore. It covers Kiriko Kamori's ancestry regarding the fox and the blade. With her grandmother taking the route of the latter and her mother the former, Kiriko puts both to use. Training with both Genji and Hanzo, there's a reason she has a similar skillset to the two legacy heroes.
If you don't want to watch the original voiceover there, you can catch the details in this Kiriko YouTube short. There's even a developer update to catch if you want the finer details of her kit and design.
For more game guides, check out our new FIFA 23 highest potential player list in time for launch in late September.