Overwatch 2's first new hero is a Canadian named Sojourn

Overwatch 2 was announced today at BlizzCon with a getting-the-band-back-together cinematic that kind of got me right here, if you know what I mean. The trailer featured a brief look at Echo, a long-rumored new hero who shows up to help Winston and the gang deal with an oversized Megatron-wannabe who's causing trouble in Paris.

But Echo isn't the only newcomer to the team. At the end of the separate Overwatch 2 gameplay trailer, we get a glance at a new hero named Sojourn. Strictly speaking, it's not her first appearance in the game: She came up with the plan to take down Doomfist by going after his accountant Maximilien, and according to the Overwatch Wiki she actually appeared way back in 2016, as an unknown member of the Overwatch team seen in an old photograph.

Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan confirmed during the Overwatch: What's Next panel that Sojourn will be the first Canadian member of the Overwatch team, which is a natural fit with the upcoming Toronto map. (The red maple leaf she wears on her shoulders is also kind of a giveaway.) Nothing is known about her abilities yet, but her arm appears to transform into a gun, which is cool and probably very handy in a fight. Kaplan said that Sojourn will be a major character in the new game, "right at the center of the story in Overwatch 2," although he emphasized that she is "by far" not the only new character being added to the roster.

It's kind of an odd situation: Echo is the character who appeared in the Overwatch 2 leaks and the cinematic, yet Sojourn is the only confirmed playable addition at this point. It'll likely be awhile yet before we find out about Echo's status: A release date for Overwatch 2 hasn't been set.

If you haven't seen the Overwatch 2 gameplay yet, check it out below:

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.