Overwatch 2 players want unique nerf to “OP” support hero Kiriko

Michael Gwilliam
Kiriko anime in Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 players are convinced that a recently-fixed Kiriko bug should have remained in-game as they felt it was an appropriate nerf to the support hero.

Since arriving in Overwatch 2 at launch, Kiriko has risen to meta dominance thanks to her powerful kit consisting of a cleanse that grants invulnerability and an ultimate that super buffs allies.

Since the start of Season 2, Kiriko has paired very nicely with Roadhog, making the two a very elite support-tank combo with the healer able to remove status effects that otherwise counter Hog.

While Kiriko hasn’t been nerfed too hard lately, a recent bug made it to that she wouldn’t be able to cleanse herself when teleporting to allies. Despite this glitch being fixed, some players believe the devs should add it back.

Overwatch 2 players want Kiriko nerf bug to return

Shortly after the bug was fixed, players across the Overwatch 2 spectrum began discussing whether or not the Kiriko nerf was actually healthy for the game.

Twitch streamer Aquamarine remarked that the TP bug should have stayed because, “no hero should have two cleanses.”

Although others pointed out that Reaper and Zarya have two ways to remove status effects, the Junkrat specialist further explained that there was a difference between Kiriko and other heroes.

“I was not thinking about Zarya Bubbles when I wrote this, but I don’t mind when Zarya has a cleanse because it’s easier to counter,” he noted.

“Honestly they need to make teleport 10 or 12 second cooldown. I don’t mind the cleanse effect but at least if it’s a higher cooldown Kirikos would need to think twice before using it to cleanse themselves,” suggested another.

On Reddit, more players chimed in with their own thoughts and shared their own ideas for nerfing the support.

Kiriko Overwatch 2 gameplay trailer screenshot
Kiriko has been dominating OW2 since her release.

“Kiriko swift step shouldn’t cleanse, she’s already OP,” someone else wrote.

“Suzu needs to just be cleanse. Give her as much healing or damage as you want but a 1 click invulnerability you can do nothing about is stupid,” another commented.

It’s not clear yet if the devs have anything planned for Kiriko in the big mid-season patch later this month, but if Kiriko remains meta dominant, we could very well be looking at some changes in the near future.

About The Author

Michael Gwilliam is a senior writer at Dexerto based in Ontario, Canada. He specializes in Overwatch, Smash, influencers, and Twitch culture. Gwilliam has written for sites across Canada including the Toronto Sun. You can contact him at michael.gwilliam@dexerto.com or on Twitter @TheGwilliam