Overwatch 2’s new hero Sojourn gets first gameplay video, ability kit

Overwatch 2’s first new hero, Sojourn, will bring a railgun, Canadian representation, and the game’s first playable Black woman hero to the game. On Thursday, Blizzard Entertainment gave Overwatch fans their first real taste of what else Sojourn will bring to the game, highlighting how she’ll add to the still-growing roster of Overwatch 2.

Sojourn joins the fight armed with more than just a rapid-firing railgun; she’s got a cool rocket-powered sliding move that will make her agile and hard to hit in fights. She’s also armed with something called the Disruptor Shot — in the gameplay video teaser above, Sojourn uses that shot in tandem with her slide-powered boost jump to harass a group of opponents. Finally, we see her Ult in action: Sojourn’s Overclock ability keeps her railgun charged, and charged shots will pierce through multiple enemies.

Here’s the official breakdown of Sojourn’s ability kit in Overwatch 2:

Rail Gun
Primary fire: Projectiles with rapid-firing capabilities that produce energy upon impact
Secondary fire: A high-impact shot which consumes energy

Power Slide
A ground slide can be used to cancel out a high-jump

Disruptor Shot
Use an energy shot to slow down enemies and deal damage

Ultimate: The Overclock
Railgun energy charges for a brief time and can be used to charge shots that pierce enemy skin

Blizzard released a video deep dive into Sojourn’s lore on Wednesday, revealing how Vivian Chase, a member of the Canadian special forces, came to join and leave (and re-join?) Overwatch is a collection of heroes. But for a more in-depth look at the character and her creation, read The Verge’s exclusive interview with Blizzard on Sojourn.

Overwatch 2On April 26, Windows PC will open beta testing to closed-loop users. Blizzard Entertainment revealed in March that the company was “decoupling” Overwatch 2’s PvE and PvP elements in an effort to get the sequel to 2016’s OverwatchIt is better to get started sooner. Overwatch 2The game will feature new heroes and multiple hero reworks as well as new maps. Push is a new mode that allows for push gameplay, which also includes a new ping system.

In November, Blizzard Entertainment announced it was “planning for a later launch for Overwatch 2 And DiabloIV than originally envisaged,” hinting that the two titles, both announced in 2019, could slip to 2023. However, with Overwatch 2 soon entering beta, it’s possible Overwatch fans could get their sequel — at least the multiplayer PvP component of it — this year instead. Blizzard has yet to announce a release date. Overwatch 2.

Publisher Activision Blizzard said in November it was giving the Overwatch team “extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch,” acknowledging turmoil and turnover at Blizzard as contributing to the game’s longer-than-expected development.