Overwatch 2’s latest collaboration is underway, and it stars none other than the Phantom Thieves from Persona 5. Like other crossovers, the main draw of the collab is the cosmetics, with the following characters getting skins based on the beloved Atlus JRPG:

  • Wuyang - Joker
  • Genji - Ryuji/Skull
  • Mercy - Ann/Panther
  • D.Va - Makoto/Queen
  • Lifeweaver - Yusuke/Fox

In addition to extra Persona-themed voice lines for the characters above, a Morgana weapon charm, name card, and profile icon can be acquired from completing in-game challenges before the Overwatch 2 event concludes.

overwatch 2 mid season 18 update persona event balance adjustments

Much like Overwatch 2’s top-notch G.I. Joe collab and Transformers crossover, there’s plenty to love about the skins themselves, as they’re packed with detail. From Mercy’s Panther skin having a whip sound effect when she flies to allies with Guardian Angel to all the skins having matching highlight intros that look like All-Out-Attacks, Blizzard’s cosmetic team has knocked it out of the park yet again. However, if one were to level a bit of criticism at the hero shooter, it would be that its choice of Phantom Thieves tributes sees one character left on the bench as always: Haru, AKA Noir.

Haru Has Always Been Persona 5’s ‘Forgotten Character’

Though Haru undoubtedly has her share of fans, as her sweetness is impossible to deny, she’s simply encountered too late into the story of Persona 5 to make the same impact that other characters did. Players have a fairly tight window to max out her confidant, only getting a month and a half’s worth of in-game time to bond with Noir. By that point, they will have spent dozens of hours with every other member of the team, growing attached to them in a way they simply don't get the chance to when it comes to Noir. Her lack of bonding time with both the players and her fellow NPCs, as well as the argument that she’s not truly an outcast due to her upbringing, make her the least popular member of the team.

Even After Persona 5 Royal, Haru Doesn't Get the Character Development She Deserves
Even After Persona 5 Royal, Haru Doesn't Get the Character Development She Deserves

When looking at Overwatch 2’s Persona 5 collab, it’s clear to see that Blizzard and Atlus chose the most recognizable figures from the latter title, which just so happen to be the ones who join the team in the first half of the story. Though there is a chance that more Persona 5 skins are released if this initial collab proves successful — Akechi, Futaba, Kasumi, and Haru are the obvious options — for now, Noir has been ignored yet again. It's hard to imagine players choosing her to get a skin over the Phantom Thieves that ended up with a spot, to be fair, but had it happened, one obvious opportunity stands out.

Overwatch 2’s Juno Was an Easy Layup For a Haru Skin

Juno came to Overwatch 2 in Season 12, with the space ranger Support quickly amassing a large fan base due to her shy personality and memorable kit. Her mannerisms make her a good fit for a Noir skin, as does her appearance. Blizzard likes to keep silhouettes as close to the original character design as possible when crafting skins for Overwatch 2, as it helps with quickly determining who is being fought at any time, which is always key in a competitive environment. Fortunately, Haru and Juno have similar hair length and are close in their overall size, making a skin viable. Plus, there’s an even better reason why this should have been one of the cosmetics: Noir and Juno share the same voice actor.

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Both Juno and Haru are played by the talented Xanthe Huynh, meaning that all the hypothetical Persona 5 tribute voice lines given to Juno could have sounded the exact same as they did in the JRPG they came from. This extra touch would have been the icing on the cake for a Noir Juno skin, as it would have made her outfit a bit more special than the rest. Though it’s fun hearing the Overwatch 2 cast deliver lines from a hugely different kind of game, letting a shared cast member revisit some of their greatest hits would have been even more special. Toss in some Milady-themed Pulsar Torpedos and the skin could have been a real hit, giving players a better chance to get attached to Haru after she’s spent so long out of the spotlight.

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6 /10

Overwatch 2
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Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
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Released
August 10, 2023
ESRB
T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Publisher(s)
Blizzard
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Genre(s)
Shooter