Season 2 should be the perfect re-entry point for lapsed players: fresh content, refreshed systems, and a reason to reinstall. The update launching on April 14 does bring real additions, including a new hero, map updates, and a Diablo crossover. But the Kotaku writer says all of that is overshadowed by one thing: after waiting nearly four years for Soldier: 76 to get a Mythic Skin, the final direction feels deeply disappointing.
A new hero, Sierra, opens up fresh lore opportunities
The article highlights Sierra, a drone-based damage hero and the 51st playable character in Overwatch, tied to the Helix Security side of the world. Because Pharah previously had Helix connections, the writer hopes Blizzard explores interactions between the two in future missions or background storytelling. At the same time, there is room for ambiguity: Sierra may only know Pharah by reputation, not through a direct personal history.
The new global voice lobby is back, but not everyone wants it
Season 2 also revives end-of-match recognition, spotlighting contributions such as high damage, smart ability usage, and objective control. On top of that, Blizzard is adding a match-wide voice chat lobby. The Kotaku writer is not a fan, saying he would rather disable it entirely than be pushed into conversations with strangers after every game.
Fans wanted a weathered veteran, not a glowing blond cowboy
The biggest frustration is character consistency. Soldier: 76 is now canonically a 58-year-old battle-hardened veteran, defined by a grim, rough-edged arc built around conspiracy hunting and personal fallout. Yet Blizzard’s Mythic direction appears to pull him toward a cleaner, younger, idol-like style that clashes with that identity.
The Mythic set, called Volted Overdrive, gives Soldier: 76 a neon-lit cowboy look, and one showcased variation restores bright blond hair that makes him resemble a younger pin-up version of himself. While two other variants let players tweak hair color and add some gray details, the overall presentation still feels too polished, missing the fatigue and age that now define the character.
The takeaway is simple: let him look his age
Kotaku’s closing argument is about arc integrity. Soldier: 76 evolved from Overwatch’s early clean-cut poster figure into a hardened operative shaped by failure and loss, and Mythic-tier cosmetics should amplify that evolution rather than reverse it. If Blizzard keeps sanding down older heroes into younger fantasy templates, it risks weakening the emotional identity that keeps long-time players invested, especially in regions like Southeast Asia where character storytelling often drives skin spending as much as visual flash.