Blizzard just released its latest Overwatch 2 animated short, and boy, the company’s filmmaking team continues to knock it out of the park with these. The short focuses on Kiriko, the game’s new hard support. While it doesn’t shed much light on her character compared to what we already knew, it’s a lovely and heartwarming short in which Kiriko kicks ass (or, to be more specific, head).
What we do learn is where the fox mask Kiriko wears came from. It is a gift he receives from the granddaughter of one of the residents of his building while returning home.
After Kiriko returns to her apartment, she is confronted by her mother, who wants her to return home to train some more (Kiriko’s mother also trained Hanzo and Genji). But their reunion is cut short by the Hashimoto clan. Kiriko teleports into action to protect her neighbor and granddaughter, as well as Kanezaka, from the bad guys.
Overwatch 2 hero Kiriko and his fox spirit
Blizzard Entertainment
Kiriko shows off some of her skills, including her Kitsune Rush Ultimate (with an excellent moment with the granddaughter). The short closes with an emotional conversation between Kiriko and her mother, which slips into a rather funny line at the end.
It’s a mostly great short that showcases the talent of Blizzard’s animators, even if the story is pretty light. It’s also a bit odd that Kiriko’s mother, apparently a fierce warrior, stays behind and seems to watch Hashimoto’s battle through a peephole.
Anyway, this underscores the fact that there absolutely needs to be an animated series based on Overwatch 2. Edgerunners did wonders for the popularity of Cyberpunk 2077, so an Overwatch Netflix show could help that as well game
The short premiered at TwitchCon and also marked the start of an Overwatch 2 Twitch Drops campaign, through which you can earn a Legendary Kiriko skin for free. More details on this here.
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On the downside, Kiriko isn’t available to all Overwatch 2 players right away. You will unlock it immediately if:
- It came from Overwatch 1
- Buy the Overwatch 2 Watchpoint Pack
- Buy the premium Battle Pass
If you’re a new player who doesn’t want to pay anything to unlock Kiriko, you’ll need to reach level 55 of the Season 1 Battle Walk on the free track. Alternatively, it will be available after Season 1 through the store or by completing challenges. More details on this will be given before Season 2.