Discover how Sombra’s original Japanese fashionista design could transform Kiriko’s legendary skin collection in Overwatch 2
The Unearthed Design: Sombra’s Japanese Fashionista Origins
Recent discoveries in Overwatch 2’s development history have revealed fascinating early concept art that predates Sombra’s current Mexican hacker identity. These archival images showcase a completely different direction for the character that players now believe would make an exceptional legendary skin for Kiriko.
The Overwatch 2 community has launched a campaign urging Blizzard to adapt Sombra’s original design concept into a premium legendary skin for Kiriko.
When Sombra debuted in the original Overwatch back in 2016, she arrived as Olivia Colomar, a Mexican hacker specializing in ability disruption. However, like all Overwatch heroes, she underwent multiple design iterations before reaching her final form. This creative process often produces dramatically different concepts—Mercy, for instance, began development as a male character before becoming the angelic support we know today.
The uncovered Sombra concept represents one of these abandoned paths, featuring a Japanese fashionista aesthetic that the community believes would translate perfectly to Kiriko’s character model and gameplay style.
From Omniblade to Kunai: Tracing Design Evolution
Reddit user Ne0stradamus recently shared a comprehensive thread showcasing Sombra’s original design concept, which portrayed the character not as a hacker but as a Japanese fashionista named Omniblade. This early version wielded throwing daggers called kunai—a weapon concept that Blizzard would later repurpose for Kiriko’s kit years later.
The community response to this revelation has been overwhelmingly positive, with numerous Overwatch 2 players expressing strong support for transforming Omniblade into a Kiriko legendary skin. This represents a fascinating full-circle moment in Overwatch’s design history, where an abandoned concept could find new life through a different character.
One enthusiastic player captured the community’s sentiment perfectly: “This discovery shows how dramatically hero concepts can evolve from initial design to final release. The Omniblade aesthetic has a unique flair that would bring fresh energy to Kiriko’s skin collection.”
Another community member highlighted the design superiority argument: “Omniblade’s visual design possesses a sophistication and edge that many feel is missing from Kiriko’s current legendary options. This could become an instant fan-favorite skin if implemented properly.”
Player Perspectives: Why This Skin Makes Sense
The community discussion reveals several compelling reasons why Omniblade would work exceptionally well as a Kiriko skin. The shared Japanese cultural elements, the kunai weapon connection, and the fashion-forward aesthetic all align perfectly with Kiriko’s character identity while offering a fresh visual direction.
One player expressed their financial commitment to the concept: “I’d gladly pay premium currency for a skin with this level of design quality. It’s remarkable how different a hero’s initial concept can be from their final implementation.”
Another comment addressed Kiriko’s current design reception: “Omniblade offers a visual intensity that could elevate Kiriko’s presence in-game. Many players consider her current design among the less impactful in Overwatch 2’s roster.”
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Even players who weren’t completely sold on the original design acknowledged its potential: “While I’m glad Sombra didn’t launch as Omniblade, the concept has clear merit for Kiriko. With some polishing and adaptation to her current model, this could become one of her standout skins.”
Practical Guide: Making the Omniblade Skin Reality
Transforming community desire into actual game content requires strategic advocacy and understanding Blizzard’s development pipeline. Here’s how players can effectively campaign for the Omniblade Kiriko skin while understanding the practical considerations involved.
Community Advocacy Strategies: The most effective approach involves coordinated feedback through official Blizzard channels. The Overwatch 2 subreddit, official forums, and social media platforms where developers are active represent the best venues for organized campaigns. Creating detailed concept mockups and gathering significant community support increases the likelihood of developer attention.
Understanding Development Constraints: Legendary skin creation involves significant resource investment—concept refinement, 3D modeling, texture work, animation adjustments, and quality assurance. The Omniblade concept would need adaptation to fit Kiriko’s skeleton and animation rig while maintaining gameplay clarity.
Timing and Seasonal Opportunities: Major seasonal events like Anniversary or Japanese cultural celebrations provide ideal thematic alignment for this skin’s release. Coordinating community requests around these periods could improve implementation chances.
Quality Assurance Considerations: As one community member noted, the original Omniblade design would require “cleaning up” for in-game implementation. This involves ensuring the skin maintains visual clarity during gameplay while preserving the concept’s distinctive aesthetic elements.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Overwatch 2 players want original Sombra design to become Kiriko Legendary skin Discover how Sombra's original Japanese fashionista design could transform Kiriko's legendary skin collection in Overwatch 2