Blizzard has given the recently announced Overwatch 2 beta a more concrete release date, which should excite fans eager for more Overwatch content.
After months of anticipation, Overwatch 2 appears to be nearing a release date this year. The Overwatch 2 beta was announced earlier this week, and now Blizzard has set a date for when players will be able to try it out for themselves.
There was very little information about Overwatch 2’s official development status prior to this week. In November, it was announced that Overwatch 2 would be delayed, but there was little explanation given as to why.
It’s most likely a result of the recent scandals that have rocked Activision Blizzard, with development teams expressing their dissatisfaction with CEO Bobby Kotick. The development team for Overwatch 2 has also changed in recent months, with Overwatch’s director, Jeff Kaplan, leaving Activision-Blizzard prior to the company’s recent scandals.
Blizzard has announced that the Overwatch 2 PvP beta will be available on April 26th. Through the link provided by Blizzard in this tweet, players can sign up for the Overwatch 2 beta. Standard matches on the regular Overwatch maps, as well as four new ones and a new game mode called Push, will be available in the beta.
All of the original characters, as well as the new hero Sojourn, will return, while a few heroes, such as Orisa, Doomfist, Bastion, and Sombra, will be reworked.
Overwatch 2 will use a new 5v5 format for its matches, rather than the 6v6 format used in the first game. According to Blizzard, this will improve matchmaking by removing the tank role, which is the least used in the game. In the original game, players with more than 4000 SR (skill rating) usually have to wait in long lines, which can last up to an hour. While waiting in line, a few high-level Overwatch streamers end up playing other games.
Overwatch 2 is currently in closed alpha, with only a few streamers and Overwatch League players receiving access for testing and professional purposes. Felix “xQc” Lengyel “accidentally” opened Overwatch 2 briefly on stream a few days ago, though some have questioned whether it was truly an accident or if it was done for publicity. xQc began as primarily an Overwatch streamer, and when he does so, he helps to boost the game’s Twitch viewership towards bigger titles like League of Legends.
With the lack of new content in Overwatch, many players are looking forward to the beta to see what the series has in store for the future.
A future PvE beta for Overwatch 2 should also help the game gain traction as it approaches its release date.
Overwatch 2 is currently in development, with an open beta launching on April 26th for a limited time on PC.
