Cover-Credits:
Overwatch 2 introduced a time jump in the series, adding new heroes, and lore to the Overwatch universe. Overwatch 2 takes place one year after Recall. If we look at the heroes during Overwatch, we can see how old Tracer is in Overwatch 2. Let us look at when Overwatch 2 is set and how old iconic heroes like Tracer are in the game’s universe.
How Old Is Tracer in Overwatch 2
Tracer is one of the most recognized faces of Overwatch. This isn’t surprising, given that she features on the box cover of the game. Tracer is currently 28 years old in Overwatch 2.
Tracer’s real name is Lena Oxton and she hails from London. Oxton was part of the Royal Air Force where she earned the nickname Tracer. Tracer was testing a prototype of a teleporting fighter, the Slipstream, when the aircraft malfunctioned and she was lost in time. She reappeared months later, suffering from "chronal disassociation," which made her unable to maintain a physical form. With the help of Overwatch's doctors and scientists Winston designed the chronal accelerator for her to keep her anchored to reality.
She joins fellow heroes Mei and Winston to take on Null Sector as they invade Paris in Zero Hour. During the events of Overwatch 2, Tracer travels to Rio de Janeiro and Toronto to respond to the Null Sector invasion.
What year is Overwatch 2 set in?
While Blizzard has been fuzzy about the specific year in which the events of Overwatch and Overwatch 2 take place, there is some general information available about this. Fans have used this to speculate which exact year is Overwatch 2 taking place in. Blizzard's Chris Metzen once said Overwatch's story takes place "something like 60 years" in the future. Former Overwatch senior designer Michael Chu similarly said Overwatch's story took place "around" 60 years in the future. However, they said this in different years.
First released in 2016, many Overwatch players assumed it was based in the year 2076 or somewhere around it. With Overwatch 2 taking place a year later, that would imply it's based in the year 2077. Reddit user John_is_a_fool shared a screenshot from the map Paraiso.
In the club, there's a poster that when translated reads "Friday, May 14." Players were then able to figure out what years have a May 14 that lands on a Friday. Using the 2070s as a baseline, the Redditor figured out that 14th May lands on a Friday in three potential years -- 2066, 2077, and 2088.
