Everything you need to know about Overwatch 2

New heroes, new maps, heroes rework, release date, quality of life improvements, and so much more are coming with Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 is right around the corner and will bring many improvements to Blizzard’s popular FPS. Not only does it revamp the entire gameplay of Overwatch by introducing a new 5v5 dynamic, but Overwatch 2 also features new heroes, new maps, new abilities, and various quality-of-life improvements. Here is everything you need to know about Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 release date and platforms

Overwatch 2 releases on October 4, 2022. The game will be available on the same platforms as the original game: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.

Overwatch 2 fully supports crossplay. This means you will be able to play with your friends, no matter if they play on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or PC. However, the ranks for competitive games will be different for PC and consoles.

Cross-progression

Overwatch 2 features cross-progression and crossplay. Whatever you unlock on one console will carry to the others, so you don’t lose progression when you switch platforms. Any skin, emote, or highlight intro you unlock on PC is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and vice versa.

Unlike the original game, Overwatch 2 requires a Battle.Net account to play on consoles. Every user will be prompted to link their Battle.Net account upon launching the game on PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. Once you link your Battle.Net account, you will get access to all the content you unlocked on one platform on the other ones.

This cross-progression not only synchronizes in-game items but also merges gameplay statistics. Since a Nintendo Switch user and a PC player may not have the same accuracy, the gameplay statistics are separated by console pool. Players will have different statistics for their PC and console games. The competitive ranks are also separated by console pool, so you will have one rank for PC and one for console. If you merge multiple console accounts, Blizzard will keep your highest competitive rank.

How to merge multiple Overwatch 2 accounts?

Playing Overwatch 2 requires a Battle.Net account. Upon launching the game on console, a message should appear prompting you to link your accounts.

Follow these steps to merge your console account to Battle.Net:

Log in to Overwatch from your console account.
Follow the on-screen prompts to scan a QR Code on your mobile phone.
Enter the code displayed on your console to connect to or create your Blizzard Battle.net Account.
Once complete, you will be prompted to confirm your account upon the next game login to merge your accounts.

You can also merge your Overwatch 2 console accounts from your PC through the Battle.Net Connections page.

You can link one Overwatch account per platform. This means you can merge your PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC accounts. However, you cannot link several accounts from the same platform, so if you have two PlayStation accounts you will have to choose which one to link. The same goes for multiple PC, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch accounts.

Once you link a console account to Battle.Net, you can remove it at any time. However, there is a one-year cooldown before you can link another account from the same platform to Battle.Net.

Overwatch 2 PC system requirements

If you would like to play Overwatch 2 on a PC, here are the system requirements your computer must meet to play the game smoothly.

Overwatch 2 minimum requirements:

Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 8650
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 series, AMD Radeon HD 7000 series
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Storage: 50 GB

Overwatch 2 recommended specifications:

Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD R9 380
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Storage: 50 GB

On top of those PC system requirements, you will need an internet connection to play Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 price

Unlike the original game, Overwatch 2 is free to play. This means you won’t have to spend a dollar to play the new game. However, there are options to spend your money if you would like more in-game content like hero skins, emotes, or other cosmetic content.

Overwatch 2 Founder's Pack

The Overwatch 2 Founder's Pack grants a selection of rewards, including epic skins and new heroes. Every player who owns the original Overwatch can claim the Founder’s Pack for free. A word of caution though: you must own a copy of Overwatch since at least June 23, 2022, to be eligible.

To redeem the Founder’s Pack, log into Overwatch before the release of Overwatch 2 on October 4, 2022. If you would rather wait and play the new game, launch Overwatch 2 before December 5, 2022, at 12pm PDT to get the Founder’s Pack. You should automatically receive the Founder’s Pack upon logging in.

The Overwatch 2 Founder’s Pack includes a variety of rewards. Not only do you get a cool new icon to show that you were old enough to know the original Overwatch, but you instantly unlock the new heroes, Junker Queen, Sojourn, and Kiriko. The Founder’s Pack also comes with two epic skins: General Doomfist and Jester Sombra.

Overwatch 2 Watchpoint Pack

The Watchpoint Pack is the second available pack you can get to unlock additional content upon Overwatch 2’s launch. This pack includes seven legendary skins, five epic skins, 2,000 Overwatch Coins, and the Season 1 Premium Battle Pass. You can find more information about the Battle Pass in the next paragraph. The Overwatch 2 Watchpoint Pack costs $39.99.

Overwatch 2 seasons and battle pass

As Overwatch 2 removes the loot boxes from the original game, it also introduces a new way to acquire cosmetic elements: the Battle Pass. Overwatch 2 features two different Battle Passes: a free one for all players, and a Premium Battle Pass that unlocks additional skins, emotes, and sprays.

If the default Battle Pass is free, the Premium Battle Pass costs 1,000 Overwatch Coins – or $10 USD. Each season has its own Battle Pass, with a special theme. The first season has a cyberpunk theme, and Blizzard promised more themes for the upcoming seasons.

Overwatch 2 PvE Story

Just like the original game, Overwatch 2 will feature an ongoing story and various PvE events. Overwatch 2 takes place after Winston’s call for Overwatch 1. This new story will revolve around a second omnic uprising. The Overwatch heroes will try to find out who is behind this uprising, and this mission will take them all over the world.

Overwatch 2 will feature various PvE missions. During these missions, players will be able to upgrade and customize their abilities to better adjust to their objectives. Blizzard declared that the PvE maps of Overwatch 2 would be larger than those from the original game.

The PvE mode of Overwatch 2 will launch sometime in 2023.

Overwatch 2 PvP Modes

The PvP mode of Overwatch 2 is the one seen in the Overwatch League for the past few months. The most obvious change between the original Overwatch and Overwatch 2 is the number of players in each game: instead of 6v6 matches, Overwatch 2 removes one tank in favor of 5v5 matches. Not only does the gameplay change with Overwatch 2, but the PvP modes are also different.

New game mode: Push

Overwatch 2 introduces a brand new game mode: Push. In this mode, the teams don’t have to fight to capture a point or defend a strategic place. Instead, both teams fight toward the same objective.

Both teams must head to the center of the map, where a robot is waiting for either team to activate it. The robot works like a payload: if there is a team nearby, the robot moves. If no one is around, it stops. The difference between this robot and a payload is that both teams can make it move toward their own objective. The first team to push the robot all the way to their opponent’s spawn wins.

Farewell, Assault maps

As Push is making its grand debut with Overwatch 2, another PvP mode disappears: Assault. This mode, also known as Two Control Points or 2CP, was a competitive nightmare for some players.

In this mode, one team played as the attacking team while the other has to defend two consecutive control points. This led to some neverending games when both teams managed to capture the points, leading to another round. And another. And another.

Overwatch 2 removes the Assault maps from the Competitive and Quick Play modes. Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, and Volskaya Industries will return later in the workshop and custom games, but won’t ever be played competitively.

New maps in Overwatch 2

As Overwatch 2 introduces a new Push game mode, it needed new maps to go with it. So far, Blizzard announced three maps for the Push mode: Colosseo, New Queen Street, and Esperança. Colosseo offers a futuristic view of the streets of Rome, New Queen Street brings Overwatch to a cultural hub in Toronto, and Esperança explores the setting of Lisbon, Portugal.

On top of these maps for the Push mode, Overwatch 2 introduces new maps for existing modes. Circuit Royal is a new map for the Escort mode, home to the Formula Lux event and based on the Monte Carlo Formula One circuit in Monaco. A new Hybrid map also makes its debut with Overwatch 2: Midtown. In this map, players will have to push the payload across the streets of New York City.

The legacy maps of Overwatch are also back with Overwatch 2, but they received an update. Blizzard revamped those maps, bringing new lighting and additional elements to popular places like King’s Row, Numbani, and Eichenwalde.

Overwatch 2 characters

All of the original heroes of Overwatch are back in Overwatch 2. As this new game takes place after the events of 2016’s Overwatch, the heroes changed slightly. Widowmaker, Sombra, and Baptiste wear new haircuts, and most heroes have brand new outfits. Even Bastion’s bird was reworked.

On top of these returning characters, Overwatch 2 introduces three new heroes at launch: Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko.

Sojourn

Sojourn was the first damage hero revealed for Overwatch 2. Her primary weapon is a railgun firing rapid projectiles. When these projectiles hit, they generate energy that charges Sojourn’s secondary fire, a high-impact hitscan shot.

Junker Queen

The ruler of Junkertown, Junker Queen, is a tank hero. Many of her abilities drain her enemies’ life, allowing Junker Queen not only to deal damage but also to survive for long periods of time.

Her passive ability, Adrenaline Rush, heals her from all damage over time dealt by her wounds. Junker Queen’s main weapon is a shotgun, dealing massive damage at short range. Her secondary weapon is a blade she can use either at close range or throw at her enemies to deal damage over time.

On top of these weapons, Junker Queen can increase her maximum health and boost her allies with her Commanding Shout. Junker Queen also packs an ability called Carnage, a melee attack that deals damage over time to all enemies in front of her.

Last but not least, Junker Queen’s ultimate ability is Rampage, a charge forward that wounds enemies and deal damage over time on top of preventing them from being healed.

Kiriko

Kiriko is the latest hero revealed by the Overwatch team. This support character is a ninja healer who is aided by her kitsune spirit.

Her primary fire channels a burst of healing projectiles to give health to her allies. Her secondary fire throws kunai that deal increased critical damage. Kiriko can also throw a protecting field, making allies briefly invulnerable and cleansing them from most negative effects. This Protection Suzu even cancels some ultimate abilities, such as Mei’s Blizzard or Reinhardt’s Earthstatter.

Kiriko’s ultimate ability is Kitsune Rush, an effect that accelerates the movement, attack speed, and cooldowns of allies that follow her.

Just like Hanzo, Kiriko can climb walls to get a better view of her teammates or hide from enemy fire. She can also teleport directly to an ally, even through walls, with her Swift Step ability.

Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko will join the existing heroes when Overwatch 2 launches. More heroes will join the ranks of Overwatch in the upcoming months, even if most of them will probably be tied to a Battle Pass.

Quality of life improvements in Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 brings several improvements to the 2016’s game. Among those enhancements is a variety of quality of life changes, making life so much easier for Overwatch 2 players.

New and improved hero abilities

Overwatch 2 keeps the heroes from the original games but reworks their abilities completely. For example, Bastion no longer has a self-repair ability and gained a brand new ultimate ability, unleashing powerful artillery strikes on his enemies.

On top of these heroes' reworks, each role gets a new passive ability with Overwatch 2. Tank heroes now resist knockbacks, support characters automatically heal when they are not in a fight, and DPS heroes get an increased movement speed.

Ping system

Overwatch 2 introduces a highly-requested feature in Blizzard’s FPS: the ping system. Players can aim at a point in the game and activate a contextual ping. Depending on what you are aiming at, the ping can either indicate a position to attack or defend, spot an enemy, or let your teammates know you are going in or need help.

The ping system is a new way for players to communicate without using voice chat. It is more accurate than simply using the voice commands of the original Overwatch, which didn’t show where an event was occurring. And even if you use voice chat, using the ping system to let your teammates know where an enemy is hiding is way more accurate and understandable that yelling “Reaper, Reaper, Reaper!” or “Mei one behind!”

Talents

Talents are a brand new addition to Overwatch 2. During the Hero Missions and Story Experience modes, players can customize their hero’s talents to unlock or improve their abilities.

Each hero has various talents, split into three trees. Depending on the tree you choose, you can customize the play style of your hero. Each tree is then separated into various tiers. Once you unlocked enough talents from a tier, you can move to the next and unlock even more powerful talents.

Scoreboard

Overwatch 2 revises the old scoreboard of Overwatch. Instead of simply showing your own statistics and medals, the scoreboard of Overwatch 2 displays way more information. The new scoreboard showcases your statistics, as well as those of all other players. You can see exactly what everyone is doing, including the enemy team.

The gold, silver, and bronze medals are gone. They are no longer needed, as you can see the exact amount of damage or healing done by every member of your group. On top of these general statistics, you get more information about your own character. This includes weapon accuracy, as well as environmental kills or assists.

Overwatch 2 releases on October 4, 2022. The game will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.