Overwatch 2 players in the FPS game’s second beta have been spending plenty of time getting used to the new tank hero Junker Queen. However, some of them are concerned that her character model doesn’t fit her tank status, with one fan using some basic measurements to demonstrate why her size could be a problem for the multiplayer game’s readability.
Reddit user WenisDongerAndAssocs posted to the Overwatch subreddit (spotted by GamesRadar+) explaining why they feel Junker Queen’s current model isn’t ‘tank-like’ enough. In their own words, “Junker Queen breaks the rules of proportions for a tank.” They include an image demonstrating that every other tank in Overwatch is no more than twice as tall as they are wide, with the singular exception of Zarya who clocks in at a height 2.75x that of her width. By comparison, Junker Queen’s model is approximately 3.5x as tall as it is wide.
Clocking in at seven feet tall (according to Bizzard senior art supervisor Kacey Helms), it’s not that Junker Queen is even close to diminutive – but height can be deceptive, especially at distance. As WenisDonger notes, tanks in Overwatch are designed so that “their wide silhouettes communicate protection and stability.” It’s not just for aesthetics, though – it’s about quickly recognising where certain hero types are located mid-fight, and many players in the reddit thread say they are misidentifying Junker Queen as a DPS hero at a glance.
“She looks like a walking Pharah to me,” says one commenter, while several others say they “have a hard time telling Junker Queen apart from Sojourn, especially given how much they appear together in-game right now” as a result of being the game’s newest pair of heroes. Another comment says that “at certain distances she looks like Ashe.”
Regardless of which hero players are mistaking her for, her shape is certainly a potential issue – whether the Junker Queen in question is friend or foe. While many players tell stories of hooking her in with Roadhog or diving in on her only to realise they were facing a tankier hero than they initially anticipated, others are finding it more difficult to keep their own Junker Queen alive. In particular, some Ana players say they find her slimmer hitbox makes it tough to keep her topped up during chaotic encounters.
Some comments point to Junker Queen’s small health pool of 425 with no armour or shields as the counterbalance to her smaller hitbox, but other people say that her ability set already compensates for her lower health. With potent health drain thanks to her passive ability and her commanding shout providing her with 200 extra health and a big mobility bump, Junker Queen is certainly well equipped for a brawl.
In a post discussing the second beta, Blizzard says that Junker Queen “fits well into the more offensive, aggressive playstyle in Overwatch 2.” The team doesn’t offer any comments that might suggest it is unhappy with her size, although it does note that “she’s still early in the testing phase,” so there’s always a chance that these concerns will be addressed down the line. Rejigging a hero’s entire form factor is a little more complex than the quick photoshop job offered by WenisDonger in their initial thread, however.
If you’re not yet in the second Overwatch 2 beta, you can gain guaranteed access – if you’re prepared to pay for it. Blizzard also recently spoke about how the Overwatch team designed Junker Queen’s abilities to match her brutal personality.