Overwatch 2 is launching in early access with dynamic new PvP content releasing on Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on October 4, kicking off the next chapter for Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed team-based shooter.
Featuring a new five-versus-five multiplayer format with cross-platform play and cross-platform progression, Overwatch 2‘s PvP experience is designed to offer fresh competitive gameplay with a new, free-to-play model and major game updates such as new heroes, hero reworks, maps, modes, and premium cosmetics.
At launch, players will have an opportunity to get their hands on the newest tank hero to join the roster, the ruthless Australian-born ruler of Junkertown: the Junker Queen. You can get a first look at the Junker Queen in the release date reveal video below.
More details on the Junker Queen, Overwatch 2‘s live service model, seasonal content plan, and the upcoming phase of the game’s closed beta testing will be shared during the “Overwatch 2 Reveal Event” live stream on YouTube.com/PlayOverwatch or Twitch.tv/PlayOverwatch this Thursday, June 16, at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
The Junker Queen is the second new hero revealed for Overwatch 2 and the franchise’s 34th hero overall, following Sojourn – a high-mobility and railgun-wielding former Overwatch captain with cybernetic capabilities.
New and iconic international locations will also arrive in-game at launch, from the snowy New Queen Street in Toronto to the bustle of Midtown Manhattan.
Overwatch 2 additionally introduces the new Push game mode, a symmetrical map type where teams battle to take control and advance a centrally-located robot deeper into enemy territory than the opposing team.
“We can’t wait to roll out the beginning of the Overwatch 2 experience on October 4 and introduce an exciting new competitive vision featuring amazing new content and a reimagining of the iconic heroes, maps, and gameplay that made the original game so compelling,” said Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment.
He added: “This is the beginning of an always-on and always-evolving era for the franchise and a recommitment to serving players with frequent and substantial updates planned well into the future to keep Overwatch 2 fresh and fun for many years to come.”
The nations of the earth are under assault. As the omnic forces of Null Sector launch a barrage of surprise attacks around the world, the planet’s governments and militaries prove quickly outmatched – and the remnants of the fearless strike force once known as Overwatch rally to make a valiant stand. Now, the world’s heroes must each decide whether to answer the call to reemerge, reunite, and serve as a beacon of hope in a new era of crisis.
Overwatch 2 is the globe-spanning sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed team-based game, building upon the original’s battle-honed foundation and carrying forward everything players have earned into a new era of epic competition and team play.
In addition to clashing against rivals in PvP modes, players will explore the Overwatch universe firsthand in whole new ways in fully cooperative missions that challenge the world’s heroes to team up, power up, and take on an overwhelming outbreak of threats around the globe.
Experience the advent of a new Overwatch as Winston, Tracer, and other members of the original Overwatch join forces with a new generation of heroes in action-packed, cooperative Story Missions.
Players will take an active role in the next chapter of the Overwatch saga as it unfolds through a series of intense, high-stakes 4-player missions, taking control of different sets of heroes as they fight to defend the world from Null Sector, uncover the motives behind the omnic attacks, and confront rising new threats around the globe.
The battle continues in Hero Missions, where heroes are called upon to go beyond their limits as they deploy across the world, defending cities against robot invasions, taking on elite Talon agents, and battling the villainous forces laying siege to the world. In this highly replayable mode, players can level up their heroes and earn powerful customization options that supercharge their abilities, granting the extra edge they need to overcome the odds.
Choose whether you want Reinhardt’s Fire Strike to ignite nearby enemies or modify his hammer to swing with increasingly blazing speed; modify Mei’s Endothermic Blaster so frozen foes take more damage and shatter into deadly ice shards; and more.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.