On June 12, Blizzard Entertainment finally revealed a concrete release date for Overwatch 2. The sequel will launch in early access on Oct. 4, 2022, and will include a ton of new content.
While the focus of the announcement was on the game’s next tank hero, the Junker Queen, the release trailer included a quick shot of a blue spirit fox running through Kanezaka. Since this doesn’t resemble anything available in the base game, fans immediately needed to know what was going on with the tiny fox leading an Overwatch team into battle.
If you’ve been keeping up with your in-game lore, the teaser may make a bit more sense. In early 2021, Overwatch introduced Kanezaka, a Deathmatch map set in the shadow of the Shimada Clan’s residence in Hanamura.
Kanezaka is a small town with modern restaurants, shrines, and traditional Japanese architecture. While it seems calm and peaceful, it hides many secrets.
When the map was introduced, Overwatch released a piece of lore alongside it: a letter from a woman named Asa to her husband, Toshiro, who is imprisoned by a clan that rivals the Shimadas.
Asa reveals that her husband creates blades for the Hashimoto clan, who have ruled Kanezaka with an iron fist for 12 years. More notably, Asa says shipments and dues for the clan have gone missing and the people of Kanezaka have had to pay the price. An accomplished swordswoman—having trained Genji and Hanzo Shimada—Asa has had to “turn [her] swordmaster’s blade against her own” to keep the peace.
After giving all this backstory, Asa mentions their daughter is growing up in this chaotic environment. Immediately after, Asa writes that she’ll “ask the fox spirit for strength to continue this fight.” She ends the letter with a saying about the kitsune (or fox spirit): “The kitsune can change your luck with a flick of even one of her tails.”
Who could the fox be in the June 12 Overwatch 2 trailer?
The Overwatch 2 reveal trailer shows a blue kitsune running through the streets of Kanezaka. It’s safe to assume the fox spirit at hand is likely related to Asa’s daughter, who is trying to keep the peace in her hometown.
A fox-related hero has been rumored to come to Overwatch as early as BlizzCon 2019. Earlier this year, a message board poster claimed to know inside information about Overwatch 2. They mentioned a girl with a fox spirit pet named Yako as a possible addition to the game alongside Sojourn, who is already a part of the sequel.
We’ll have to wait until October to find out more, but it’s looking likely that the kitsune will feature prominently in Overwatch 2.
