Summary
Overwatch 2Season 12, aptly named New Frontiers,will introduce the brand-new Clash game mode and an Egyptian-themed Battle Pass. The season also features anOverwatch 2xWorld of Warcraftcollaboration, the mythic Midnight Sun weapon skin for Ana, and a rank reset, alongside a wealth of new content and balance adjustments. However, the standout feature of this season is the highly anticipated debut of the 41st hero, Juno.
AsOverwatch 2’s newest mobile support hero, her abilities are likely to appeal to many players in the support role. As such, with her launch on August 20, Juno is anticipated to disrupt the current meta, primarily due to her kit and the challenges that can come with trying to eliminate her. Furthermore, new characters often inspire excitement, leading players to experiment with them even if they aren’t the optimal choice at the time.
Overwatch 2’s Latest Support Hero Poised to Bring Fresh Utility To The Roster
Overwatch 2’s Newest Support Hero Might Require Greater Strategic Planning
Although Game Director Aaron Keller’s August 14 blog post indicates that several mobile damage and support heroes will be receiving a health reduction, the introduction of Juno suggests that the meta is likely to stay fast-paced. The Martian hero will make her debut at the start of Season 12 in Quick Play and Arcade, and, like Venture,will also be available in Competitive on day one. Although there is controversy over adding new characters directly into Ranked play instead of waiting two weeks, this is likely to boost her pick rate as players rush to learn her kit.
Juno’s adaptability, thanks to her Martian Overboots, Glide Boost, and Hyper Ring, garnered significant attention during her Hero Trial in Season 11, particularly for players who were able to rotate her cooldowns effectively. While herMartian Overboots and Glide Boostare beneficial to Juno’s survivability, her Hyper Ring grants a 50% movement speed buff to all allies. Set at a 16-second cooldown, which begins ticking down as soon as the ability is activated, this feature could be a strategic game changer in the right compositions.
Much like Lucio’s speed boost, this ability can be invaluable for overtaking an enemy team or reaching objectives quickly. Unlike Lucio’s Speed Boost, which lasts indefinitely until switched to Healing Boost, Juno’sHyper Ring currently provides a movement speed increase of 3 seconds. This shorter duration may require players to be more strategic in how and when they use the ability.
“Juno’s Hyper Ring currently provides a movement speed increase of 3 seconds.”
Juno’s Kit Encourages a Fast-Paced Team Composition
AlthoughOverwatch 2has a maximum speed cap, as noted by Lead Balance Designer Joshua Noh in 2022, the precise value is currently unknown. Therefore, stacking more than a few speed abilities with Juno’s Hyper Ring might not be feasible, although abilitieslike Lucio’s Speed Boostor Junker Queen’s Commanding Shout could still see notable benefits. For reference, Blizzard’s hero-shooter is home to various movement options, with many team-based speed abilities, which include:
Regardless of the speed cap, players can strategically rotate their abilities to support their team. This approach was already common in Competitive and professional play before Juno’s arrival. For example,Junker Queen’s Commanding Shoutis commonly used before or after Lucio’s Speed Amp, while damage players might deploy Symmetra’s two-way Teleporter to speed up their team’s exit from spawn before switching to Tracer or another hero with inherent movement abilities like Soldier: 76. Given this, Juno’s Hyper Ring is likely to be especially beneficial for Brawl or Rush compositions and on maps like Clash, Control, Flashpoint, and Push.
