In a stream with Overwatch 2 content creators, Blizzard Entertainment developers outlined some of the core differences between Junker Queen and her fellow Tank characters.
Overwatch fans long hoped the Queen of Junkertown would join the roster as a playable hero. Fortunately, the crew at Blizzard is granting that wish for the hero shooter’s upcoming sequel.
As the franchise’s all-new Tank character, the Junker Queen will undoubtedly pack quite the punch. A pump-action shotgun, blade, and axe constitute her weapons of choice.
And abilities such as Commanding Shout and Rampage should keep enemies at bay. But while Junker Queen’s skills may seem reminiscent of other Tanks, it sounds as though she’ll bring a unique playstyle to the table.
Overwatch 2’s Junker Queen isn’t just another Tank
Typically, Overwatch’s Tanks serve as the first line of defense, absorbing enemy fire and protecting their compatriots with shields. Blizzard staffers Kenny Hudson and Jacob Rodriguez have noted that Junker Queen plays quite differently.
During a Twitch stream with Emongg and Flats, Overwatch 2 developers said Junker Queen is pure aggression, her primary defensive option coming in the form of Commanding Shout. “Her kit is revolved around getting in there, sowing chaos, and mixing it up. She’s kind of tanky-dps,” Rodriquez divulged.
He added that this particular hero should prove a promising choice for Tank players who want to abandon shield-based play.
A little later in the stream, around the 3:32:40 mark, Emongg pondered how Junker Queen’s pull ability differentiates itself from Roadhog’s hook.
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According to Hudson, the new hero’s pull ability works like a “reverse boop,” such that it isn’t guaranteed to fully bring an enemy face-to-face with Junker Queen once activated.
Rodriguez elaborated further, telling viewers that while Roadhog and Junker Queen bear a lot in common on paper, “they play completely different.” Roadhog’s hook is “almost” a guaranteed kill.
Meanwhile, Junker Queen has to “work a little harder” to secure a kill with her knife pull ability because of its reverse boop-like quality.
In addition, Roadhog’s healing ability can nearly replenish his health in full. The newer Tank, on the other hand, has healing primarily dependent on “how many people you can hit and how long you can keep your wound damage going.”
It seems, then, that Junker Queen in Overwatch 2 will mix up the Tank players’ style of play quite a bit.