Though it may not be the biggest of changes, Overwatch 2 is getting a fresh batch of hero select animations. Every character from the original game will get a new pose when players go to select them in Overwatch 2, and as a recent video shows, some of them are wildly entertaining.
One of the Overwatch series’ biggest strengths has been personality, with the world and heroes within Blizzard’s universe being distinct and interesting. There are many ways that this is reflected, whether it be conversations at the start of the match, highlight intros, or emotes. Comics, short stories, and animated shorts have fleshed out the characters further, and the sequel will be adding extra ways to display the cast’s personality like souvenirs and the aforementioned hero select animations.
All the hero select animations were compiled in a video posted by Reddit user Free_Way33, which begins by highlighting the Tanks. D.Va calls her mech down much like how she would do so in-game, while Doomfist and Junker Queen glare at the camera. Orisa spins her new spear weapon, Reinhardt poses proudly, and Roadhog inhale’s some gas. Sigma’s animation is neat, as it serves as a call back to his backstory trailer. However, Wrecking Ball steals the show for the Tank role, with Hammond rolling forward, punching open the roof of his mech, and looking into the camera.
The packed Damage role has some cool animations, too, like Bastion interacting with Ganymede and Ashe playing with a bullet. Like Sigma’s, Echo’s animation is a nod to her origin story trailer, while Junkrat’s is fittingly loud and over the top. Sombra’s hero select animation is a ton of fun, as it begins by only showing her arm as she completes a hack. Symmetra comes through a portal while Tracer blinks into frame, and Widowmaker’s simple removal of her goggles makes for a solid animation.
The Support heroes round out the video, and the newest hero Kiriko is arguably the best of the bunch as far as the intros go. The animation sees her dropping from above and pulling out her healing ofuda before looking into the camera, with the pose being very sleek overall. Other standouts include Mercy descending from above with a gold glow behind her, Lucio jamming out to some music, and Zenyatta showcasing the mastery of his orbs. Moira’s face during her animation is worth watching, too, as it perfectly reflects the mad scientist vibe.
Whether it is Hanzo readying his bow for a fight or Winston saying hello to the player, Overwatch’s charm is on full display with these fresh animations. Though some aspects of Overwatch 2 are proving controversial, the hero select animations have been very well received.
Overwatch 2 launches in early access on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.