Junker Queen here for long term as voice actor teases Overwatch 2 future

As one of three new characters debuting after a near three-year gap, Junker Queen has quickly made an impact upon her release in Overwatch 2, not just in terms of the meta, but regarding the sequel’s narrative too. Her arrival is just the start of what’s to come, with voice actor Leah de Niese teasing Junker Queen’s exciting future ahead.

Without any prior experience in the voice acting field or the gaming industry as a whole, landing the gig as the Queen of Junkertown is a big scalp for Leah de Niese. But as fans of the Overwatch series know all too well, characters are around for the long-term in Blizzard’s hero shooter.

Unlike other titles where linear storylines are mapped out from the jump, and dialogue can be recorded in one big batch, in the world of live service entertainment, games expand and evolve over time. New events, new missions, new characters to engage with, perhaps even new adaptations outside of the game itself. Committing to a character in Overwatch is so much more than just a one-and-done role.

Thus, Junker Queen serves as a key element in Overwatch 2’s future. “We don’t sunset our games at Blizzard,” as de Niese was told early in her time in the recording booth. When signing on the dotted line to embody the Aussie Tank hero, she wasn’t simply agreeing to a handful of recording sessions before washing her hands of the franchise. Far from it.

Junker Queen’s time in the spotlight is only just beginning and de Niese couldn’t be more enthusiastic on what’s to come for her now immensely popular character.

“Of course you can expect more,” de Niese said, with a grin in our recent conversation at PAX Australia. “The Queen is such a huge, exciting part of Overwatch 2. Not to say the other heroes aren’t, we all are, but we’re so excited for what we’ve got in store for the Queen.”

Given the original scope of Overwatch 2, with a full campaign and highly replayable hero missions both set to arrive as part of the sequel, there’s obviously still plenty we’re yet to see on that end. How does Junker Queen fit into the bigger narrative? What do her unique skill trees look like and how do they alter moment-to-moment gameplay in cooperative PvE battles? How prominently will she be featured in upcoming seasonal events?

All of this and more is still a mystery but one thing is for certain, de Niese is “100%” onboard for what lies ahead.

“I was like ‘thank you!’” she said when hearing of Blizzard’s long-term plans for the character. “I was worried this was a flash in the pan, but no. There’s always new content, obviously the way Overwatch 2 has been released, it’s now free to play, seasons, updates, it’s coming at you with new content all the time, so that’s music to my ears because that means I get to keep playing.”

As for just how long the game will be supported, no one knows for certain. But de Niese has already found solace in the idea she’ll still be voicing the Queen decades down the line. “What if I become a crotchety lady and my voice changes?” she joked. “But that’s part of the fun right?”