The 2023 roadmap announcement for Overwatch 2 went live on May 16 with several new details to pour over. While the previously teased Overwatch 2 co-op PvE mode is no longer in development, there is at least other content to look forward to. With Blizzard's plans outlined up until Season 7, fans of the team-based shooter now have a general idea of what the next year or so of the game should look like.
The recent outline from the team working on Overwatch 2 hints at a cinematic reveal which is accompanied by a picture of a small dog. While the label of "Cinematic Reveal" is rather vague by itself, those who are more familiar with the lore behind this dog may remember that his name is Murphy and his owner is Vivian Chase, better known as Sojourn. Sojourn was the 33rd hero to be added to the Overwatch 2 roster, though her cinematic has remained unreleased in spite of it being teased over a year ago.
Blizzard Could Revive Sojourn's Personality
Sojourn originated as far back as the "Recall" animated short from 2016 where she's briefly shown among a slideshow of other Overwatch agents. Blizzard just now shifting its focus to her may be a bit overdue since newer characters like Kiriko received her animated short at the same time as her in-game debut. Additionally, in the past fans speculated the cybernetic soldier's video would come out at the same time as the game's October 2022 release. Now it seems the animation is confirmed for Season 5, though it's nearly eight months later than expected.
While there are those who believe Sojourn is an interesting character mechanically, some have written both her personality and design off as bland and generic. This could be due to the fact that there just isn't enough information about her. This could be because Blizzard previously planned to share more during PvE components like the old Overwatch Archives events, though plans may have changed due to recent news. Regardless, the short provides an opportunity to make Sojourn more likable.
Sojourn isn't the first time an Overwatch character has been labeled as disinteresting, as Pharah, Soldier: 76, and Reaper faced similar accusations prior to Blizzard granting them more of a backstory. It may be that the trope of a good soldier with a passion for justice is becoming overdone. At least Soldier: 76 has several humorous in-game voice lines that prove he's not to be taken too seriously. On the other hand, Sojourn is nearly all business with quotes such as "It's about to get real" "and "We've got a world to save."
It's clear that Team 4 is already trying to give her more depth, as some voice lines and skins for Sojourn are intended to be comedic. For example, voice lines such as "Croissant?" And "Eugh...don't give me that decaf" may exist to make her more personable. Unfortunately, many fans still think that characters such as Ramattra or Junker Queen are much more engaging.
In the upcoming cinematic, Blizzard has a chance to further rewrite the narrative surrounding the former Overwatch captain. Centering around Sojourn's relationship with her rescue dog, Murphy, may be a great place to start. What else will be included within Sojourn's animated short is anyone's guess but if it's anything like past cinematics such as Genji and Hanzo's "Dragons" animated short then Sojourn should be in good hands.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.