Overwatch 2 Devs Break Down Juno's Development, Backstory (Exclusive)

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I find myself utterly captivated by the depth of character development and attention to detail in the latest update for Overwatch 2. The origin story of Juno, a new hero, is nothing short of intriguing, weaving together elements of Roman mythology, Mandarin language, and Singaporean culture into a rich tapestry that brings her to life in a truly unique way.

On August 20th, Tuesday next week, Season 12 of Overwatch 2, titled New Frontiers, is set to debut, bringing a wealth of fresh content for the game and introducing its 41st character, Juno. To provide some background on this upcoming hero, Blizzard has already released an origin story in the form of a motion comic about Juno. This comic, narrated by voice actress Xanthe Huynh, reveals that Juno’s family was part of a clandestine Mars colonization project initiated by the game’s company Lucheng Interstellar, called Project Red Promise. The reason for Juno’s Earth return is to seek help for her family who are still living on Mars. ComicBook had the opportunity to interview members of the Overwatch 2 team to learn more about the development process behind Juno and her role within the game’s roster.

Previously unveiled as BlizzCon last year under the pseudonym Space Ranger, Juno makes her formal introduction in Overwatch 2 as a fresh support character, marking a groundbreaking moment for the game: introducing its first “Martian” character. The scene of Juno’s arrival on Earth, having journeyed from Mars, might remind one of the iconic moment in Community when Donald Glover enters the room with a stack of pizzas, only to discover that the party is ablaze. She had expected to find aid for her Martian kin, but instead encountered a world plagued by Omnic extremists and a newly assembled Overwatch team. Having been raised in isolation on Mars among just a few adults, Earth’s bustling environment will be quite overwhelming for Juno.

Joshi Zhang, the narrative designer for Overwatch 2, commented that “she’s likely dealing with an incredible amount,” suggesting that whatever events players are considering in the game’s universe, this character is probably grappling with all of it simultaneously. This is because there’s just so much happening… she has no idea what a school bus is.

The way Juno handles tasks despite feeling overwhelmed has become crucial in shaping her character within the Overwatch 2 team. This resonated deeply with Zhang, and it seems particularly relevant to the experience of many players as well.

As I shaped her voice and penned her dialogue, a thought kept recurring: she’s persevering because it’s all she has. She’s consistently giving her best, and if you find yourself doing the same – battling through your own challenges with whatever resources you have, and navigating uncharted territories… then, just like Juno, you might be a hero as well.

In terms of dialogue, Zhang pointed out the distinctive way Juno speaks in the game. Players quickly picked up on this, noticing that she rarely uses contractions when speaking, saying “I am” instead of “I’m,” and “You are” instead of “You’re.” This peculiarity is partly due to Juno being a character born and raised on another planet. However, her environment on the Mars base also plays a role, as she interacts with around twenty or thirty adult scientists who treat her like an equal and speak formally to her.

Zhang remarked about Juno’s unique way of speaking: “We prefer her to express a distinct tone,” he said. “I’m unsure if it’s intentional, but it seems authentic to her. In my view, she’s immersed in an environment filled with scientists, mostly older individuals. Growing up, she wasn’t exposed to much media. It appears that her exposure was limited to a few cowboy movies. Aside from that, she doesn’t interact much with children or learn their language. Instead, she’s surrounded by professionals communicating in a formal manner.”

The creation of the character Juno for the Overwatch 2 team roster stemmed from one designer envisioning a certain archetype and experimenting with a fighter-pilot style character equipped with lock-on missiles. As shared by Overwatch 2 art director Dion Rogers, the initial sketches for this ability set were not only intended to depict an airborne character like Pharah and Echo but also someone enclosed in a mech suit. The idea took a significant turn towards the Juno players recognize today when someone asked, “Could there be aliens in Overwatch?” Initially, the answer was no; however, Rogers continued pondering the question. Eventually, the concept of incorporating an alien-like character was revisited and evolved into what we now know as Juno.

Rogers commented, expressing his intrigue towards the question. He said, “Well, alright, but if we were to do this, what would it turn out like?” This demonstrates the team’s connection and each member’s unique contribution to the hero’s overall appearance. The idea sprung up that perhaps she was from Mars, as it fits within the universe of Overwatch; since we’ve colonized the moon, maybe we’ve reached Mars too, right? (Concept artist Daryl Tan) then experimented with designs, making the character resemble an astronaut or someone in a space suit. That’s how the character evolved over time.

Contemplating the numerous teams involved in crafting an Overwatch 2 hero – including game design, art design, and storyline among others – it’s intriguing to ponder how all these elements intertwine to form what players ultimately experience within the game. Although the process of creating a character is lengthy, the collective effort consistently results in a harmonious outcome.

As a gamer, I can tell you it feels incredibly natural – not forced or contrived. That’s because our team is so richly diverse with an abundance of creative minds who are always coming up with fantastic ideas. It’s all about fostering a culture where people say ‘yes’ and suggest ‘let’s give it a try.’ It’s not about forcing ideas into a predefined box, no way! Instead, we constantly inspire each other, and the result is an amazing flow of innovative concepts that come to life.

Rogers mentioned that the development of Juno brought to mind the way they developed Winston, the tank hero. The concept for this character initially took form as a sketch called “Orangutank,” which the design team found intriguing but had some reservations regarding its integration into the bigger game. A discussion followed between the game design and art teams on how it could be made to function effectively within the game.

In many cases, characters go back and forth in development, and the creative team devised a scenario: “What if this character is intelligent, like a twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with an ape?” This refined Juno’s design further, as each team member contributed to her final version.

When players select Juno in Overwatch 2, they might be curious about one significant aspect of her ability kit: what triggers her Ultimate skill? Unlike other characters who visibly activate their Ultimate through their weapon or surrounding area, Juno’s Ultimate appears to descend from the sky. The Orbital Ray emits a massive beam from above, healing Juno’s allies and boosting their damage output. However, the origin of this beam remains a mystery.

In the story, the reason for Juno being sent back to Earth on a spaceship was that her family on Mars assembled it from two parts. One part propelled her through space, while another ensured her survival and later landed her safely on Earth’s surface. Although Juno’s pod is now situated in the attack spawn on Dorado, the majority of her ship remains in orbit – where Orbital Ray emanates from. Even though you don’t see Juno’s ship during the Ultimate event, artwork depicts what it looks like floating around Earth.

As an enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: “Initially, our design for the spaceship seemed overly reliant on resources,” Rogers explained. “So, we got creative and envisioned that they could scavenge components from a habitat to build this dual-purpose spacecraft. You see, one part of the vessel propels her toward Earth, while the other serves as her living quarters during travel. The ‘Ultimate’ in its name comes from the fact that upon landing on Earth, a section of the pod detaches, leaving behind another part of the ship orbiting above.”

Zhang explained, “The ship appears to have been assembled by its family, giving it a sense of being nurtured like a village. They poured a lot of affection into designing it. But we must ensure its safety as it travels. To achieve this, they installed a satellite on the vessel. Once the pod separates from the ship and lands on Earth, it can still communicate with them, even if it can’t reach them directly. There’s a part of them ensuring her safety.”

When players discover Juno’s origins and her background, they might guess that her character name was merely chosen because she was born on Mars, referencing the Roman mythology linking the planet to Juno (Mars’ mother). However, there’s a lot more behind this choice than meets the eye. Joshi Zhang disclosed that the idea of naming the hero “Juno” held significant depth when she proposed it, highlighting the multiple aspects considered in choosing that particular name.

As a fan, I find myself captivated by this unique tale. You see, this character was born on the red planet, Mars. One of her parents, Jiayi, hails from Singapore, a place where Mandarin is spoken. Given this background, they chose a name that holds a special significance: Ju-no. In Chinese, ‘Ju’ means ‘vermilion,’ a color often associated with auspiciousness, and ‘No’ translates to ‘promise.’ Essentially, the name ‘Ju-no’ is a loose interpretation of ‘Vermilion Promise.’

“We don’t take it lightly when we name the hero,” Rogers added with a laugh.

As an ardent Overwatch 2 enthusiast, I must admit that during a recent playtest, some apprehension surfaced among players when they first laid eyes on Juno’s kit, fearing it might be too similar to certain characters. However, what really got me excited was the reassurance from Dion Rogers that each hero’s unique kit will always reflect a distinct playing experience within the game. For instance, Lucio has been our only support hero with a speed boost ability throughout Overwatch’s journey, but Juno brings her own take on this power to the table. This reaffirms my faith in the developers’ commitment to making every character feel special and unique in their respective roles.

“Typically, creating a hero involves crafting an imaginative role for the player to embody. In our case, she’s an astronaut from Mars with flying capabilities, serving as a symbol of heroism in a fantastical sense. The design, abilities, and more are all part of this heroic fantasy experience. It also offers some degree of player freedom, allowing her to boost the speed of other heroes, similar to Lucio. This means that players now have a character who can perform actions similar to Lucio’s, but remember, he does it slightly more effectively. However, having this character provides an option for players when it comes to shared abilities. We haven’t run out of unique powers, but the focus here was on creating a fighter pilot-style astronaut hero, embodying the dream and adventure associated with that role.”

Additionally, players can anticipate enjoyable variations of Juno’s appearance too, as Rogers mentioned that the space helmet she typically wears will not necessarily be included in all future skin designs for her character.

For some Overwatch 2 enthusiasts, there’s been a source of uncertainty regarding how the overarching narrative of the series will progress further. This doubt arises due to reports suggesting that the PVE missions in the game have been abandoned entirely, leaving the future of the “storyline” of the game somewhat unclear.

Rogers mentioned that they are excited about continuing to craft narratives within the world of Overwatch. They have poured a lot into it already and are constantly experimenting with new ideas as the game evolves. As an example, they’re using Juno to bridge her ties to the Overwatch universe, its characters like Mei, and her personal growth on an alien planet.

Overwatch 2‘s Season 12 New Frontiers launches on August 12.

2024-08-19 20:12

Overwatch 2 Devs Break Down Juno’s Development, Backstory (Exclusive)

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