This is how you can unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2, whether you’re a new player or returning to the game.

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 Overwatch 2’s expansive cast of characters is the main appeal for a lot of players, but the sequel isn’t handing you all the content straight away. If you’re playing support, there are some heroes missing. You have to complete some portions of the game before you unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2.

New players have to unlock pretty much the entire cast. This gives you a limited spectrum of choices, especially in Support. Kiriko is the newest character and one of the best supports in Overwatch 2. A lot of players want to run the latest hero as one of their two supports, but not everyone has access. This is one of the rare characters that most players have to do something to unlock.

Kiriko is the first Overwatch 2 hero to drop with the full launch of the game. She has some of the best kit in the game right now for a support. If you want to maximize your chances of success, you’ll need to unlock her pretty quickly to make sure your teams aren’t left behind.

New players have to do quite a bit to unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2. Even players from the original game have some hoops to jump through. This is a Battle Pass character and while free, Blizzard is making sure you’re earning your way up the game before they hand out access. This is how you can unlock Kiriko, the method for each type of player and every way to get access.

Can You Unlock Kiriko for Free in OW2?

A lot of players might be tempted just to buy their way through to Kiriko in Overwatch 2. However, you can get the character for free. Unlike other games with a cast of heroes, Kiriko isn’t locked behind a payment wall in her debut season. She might be in the Battle Pass, but it is accessible to everyone, even on the free tier.

How to Unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2

Unlocking Kiriko in Overwatch is different depending on what type of player you are. Blizzard has different routes depending on if you want to pay, if you’re an Overwatch 1 player, or if you really are brand new.

While the way to unlock Kiriko in Overwatch is always to hit her tier of the Battle Pass, some players don’t have to bother. These are the ways you can unlock her:

How to Unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2 Battle Pass

If you’re looking to unlock Kiriko as a new player, the only way is through the Battle Pass. This still depends on what player you are, though. Overwatch 2 is much more aggressively monetized. Players aren’t getting heroes on launch day for free anymore.

If you’re a paid player, you’ll get Kiriko when you pick up the Battle Pass. This is an easy unlock. You just need to buy the pass for 1,000 overwatch coins, roughly $10, and Kiriko will unlock. If you’re paying, it’s just as easy as unlocking Junker Queen in Overwatch and unlocking Sojourn.

If you’re getting Kiriko for free, it’s a bit different. You’ll need to grind up to level 55 to get access to the character. While that’s just shy of three-quarters of the way through, it’s where you’ll have to get to.

Overwatch 1 Players Get Instant Access

Players of Overwatch who were part of the original game will unlock Kiriko right away. If you have the first Overwatch before June this year, you qualify for this. You’re able to grab the “Founder’s Pack” which instantly unlocks Kiriko. This came just after a backlash against Blizzard putting new heroes in the Battle Pass. Players who had already purchased Overwatch reacted badly and they clarified that all OW1 players were getting the character early. It’s worth noting, though, this is only for Kiriko. Future Heroes aren’t going to work this way.

If you think this is a quick shortcut to Kiriko, the June cut-off means no one can take advantage of this anymore. Pre-owned copies of the now unusable Overwatch 1 aren’t worth very much, so if anyone had the idea to pick one up and try to claim Kiriko instantly for less than the Battle Pass cost, you’d be out of luck. It also appears that free trials of Overwatch don’t work for this either.

How to Unlock Kiriko Quickly? 

Level 55 of the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass will take a bit of time to get through. However, if you’re optimizing your playstyle you can get there as quickly as possible. You don’t need to change how you play too much, but these are some tips to get up the Battle pass:

• Prioritize Quests – To get to level 55. You’ll want to do as many quests each week as you can. There’s a cap on these, but complete all the daily, weekly, and seasonal quests to get more XP.
• Play Neglected Roles – You get extra XP for playing different roles, often Support. If you want to unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2, learn the ropes of support first for all the bonus XP.
• Do Daily Challenges First – These expire quickly, so the best use of time is to knock out all of those that count for your goals each day. Start here.
• Then Weeklies – These expire the next. Do these immediately after daily quests and spread them across the week.
• Do Seasonals When Finished – Once you’re finished with dailies and weeklies, start on seasonal quests. This way, you’re not losing any potential XP by focusing on the wrong part of the game.

That rough order should have you progressing as quickly as possible. When you combine it with the bonus XP for playing more in-demand roles, you’ll be burning through Battle Pass levels as quickly as possible.

That’s how you can unlock Kiriko in Overwatch 2. These are a few different methods, and some players will have an easier time than others. It should be achievable for everyone, though.