I’ve been grinding Overwatch 2 since its beta launch, and one question pops up in every new player lobby I join: how many characters are there in Overwatch 2? It’s a fair question, too. The roster has grown a lot since the original Overwatch launched back in 2016, and new heroes drop every few months with seasonal updates. This guide breaks down the full current roster, how to unlock every hero, and how to pick one that fits your preferred playstyle.
How Many Characters Are There in Overwatch 2 Right Now?
As of the latest seasonal patch, there are 39 total playable heroes in Overwatch 2. That count includes every hero from the original Overwatch, plus 9 new heroes added exclusively for Overwatch 2 since its 2022 launch. The roster is split across three distinct classes, each with a unique role in team composition. New heroes are added roughly once every two seasons, so this number will keep growing as future updates roll out.
Blizzard balances the roster every few months with patch updates, adjusting ability values, adding reworks, or even shifting heroes between classes in rare cases. For example, Doomfist was originally a DPS hero in the original Overwatch, but he was reworked into a Tank ahead of Overwatch 2’s launch. These changes mean the roster always feels fresh, even for long-time players who have hundreds of hours logged.
You won’t find any pay-to-win differences between heroes, either. Every hero has unique strengths and weaknesses, and no single hero is inherently better than another. Balance patches adjust outliers regularly, so the meta shifts often enough to keep playstyles varied.
Breakdown of Overwatch 2 Characters by Class
Every Overwatch 2 character falls into one of three classes, each with a specific job to do during a match. If you’re new to the game, understanding these roles will help you contribute to your team even if you’re still learning hero abilities. The class breakdown as of the latest patch is: 13 Tank heroes, 17 DPS heroes, and 9 Support heroes.
Many new players make the mistake of writing off Support as a “boring” class, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Heroes like Illari and Kiriko have some of the highest damage output potential in the entire roster, and a good Support player can single-handedly turn a losing match around. I started out only playing DPS, but once I tried Support I found I won way more matches, and my queue times were 75% shorter on average.
Class balance shifts with every patch, so there’s never a permanent “best” class to play. If you find yourself losing a lot with one class, try switching to another for a few matches to mix things up. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy a role you wrote off earlier.
How to Unlock All Overwatch 2 Characters for New Players
If you’re a brand new player who never owned the original Overwatch, you won’t have access to all 39 heroes right away. New players get access to 15 starter heroes immediately after completing the in-game tutorial, and you’ll unlock the rest by completing in-game challenges or progressing through seasonal battle passes. If you owned the original Overwatch before Overwatch 2 launched, you’ll have automatic access to every hero released before Season 1, and you only need to unlock new heroes added after that point.
For heroes added before Season 6, new players can unlock them by winning 50 quick play matches total, with new heroes unlocking incrementally as you hit win milestones. For heroes added after Season 6, you can unlock them for free by reaching tier 55 of the free seasonal battle pass, or you can unlock them immediately by purchasing the premium battle pass. If you miss a hero during their launch season, you can unlock them later via permanent in-game challenges or by purchasing them with in-game currency.
Don’t waste your real money on unlocking heroes unless you really want to play them immediately. The free battle pass track is easy to progress through even if you only play a few hours a week, and you can unlock every new hero for free if you put in a little time. If you want to speed up unlocks, play quick play matches with a group of friends – you get 20% extra battle pass XP for playing in a group, which cuts down grind time significantly.
One important note: you don’t need to unlock every hero to play competitive mode. You only need to have access to 16 heroes total, with at least 2 in each class, to qualify for competitive play. That means most new players can unlock competitive access within a week of regular play, even if they don’t grind nonstop.
Tips to Pick the Right Overwatch 2 Character for Your Playstyle
You don’t have to learn all 39 heroes to be good at Overwatch 2. Most high-rank players only master 2 to 3 heroes across one or two classes, and that’s more than enough to climb to the top of the competitive ranks. The key is to pick heroes that fit your natural playstyle, instead of forcing yourself to play “meta” heroes you don’t enjoy.
If you love being in the middle of the action and leading your team, try Tank heroes first. Junker Queen and Reinhardt are great beginner-friendly Tank options, with simple abilities that are easy to learn but hard to master. If you prefer staying back and picking off enemies from a distance, DPS heroes like Widowmaker and Hanzo are perfect, though they have a steeper learning curve for new players.
If you get satisfaction from helping your team win and keeping your allies alive, Support is a great pick. Mercy and Lucio are the easiest Support heroes for new players, with simple healing abilities and low mechanical requirements. Even if you don’t think you’ll like Support, give it a try at least once. I avoided it for my first 100 hours of play, and now it’s my most-played class by a wide margin.
One common mistake new players make is trying to learn too many heroes at once. Pick one or two heroes per class you enjoy, and practice them until you’re comfortable with their abilities before trying new ones. Never practice a new hero for the first time in competitive play – you’ll ruin the match for your teammates, and you’ll learn slower because you’ll be stressed about losing rank. Stick to quick play or the practice range when you’re trying out a new hero for the first time.
At the end of the day, knowing how many characters are there in Overwatch 2 is just the start of your journey with the game. The large, varied roster means there’s a hero for every possible playstyle, whether you love aggressive frontline play, sneaky backline picks, or supporting your team to victory. Take your time trying out different heroes, don’t stress about playing the meta, and you’ll have a great time no matter what your skill level is.