[2022] Overwatch 2 Ready Check: Prepare for Launch!

Overwatch 2 is almost here! There are a few things to know ahead of its official launch on October 4. We have a new SMS Protection requirement that’s important to understand in order to play, so please read thoroughly and take the steps listed to ready your account so you can jump in and play right away once the game is live!

Overwatch 2 is anticipated to be live worldwide
at approximately 12:00 p.m. PDT on October 4.

As a reminder, everyone who logs in during Season One will receive heroes Junker Queen and Sojourn automatically, whether they’re new players or returning. Players who own the original Overwatch will also receive Kiriko through their Founder’s Pack, which can be claimed by logging in at any point before the end of Season Two. If you currently have the “Founders” portrait in-game, you’ve already claimed your Founder’s Pack.

Launch Checklist for Existing Players and Watchpoint Pack owners

• REQUIRED TO PLAY: Activate SMS Protection—As part of our free-to-play transition, all players must attach an eligible cell phone number to their Battle.net Account to play Overwatch 2. This is part of our Defense Matrix initiative, a multi-pronged system to combat disruptive in-game behavior. You can read more about the Defense Matrix here. Here's how to activate SMS protection on your account:
  1. Visit https://account.battle.net/ and log in. Navigate to "Account Details".
  2. Add your phone number, including the area code, where it says, "Phone Number". Please note, country code is restricted to the designated country listed on your Blizzard account and certain types of phone numbers, including pre-paid and VOIP, cannot be used for SMS Protect.
  3. Click "Continue". You'll receive an incoming SMS text message prompting you with a verification code. Enter this code in the field and click "Continue" to activate SMS protection. More info on adding a phone number to your account can be found here.

• Pre-download Overwatch 2—To ensure you’re able to play right away on launch day, make sure you’ve got the game pre-loaded on your device!
  • For existing PC users and Watchpoint Pack owners on PC, Overwatch 2 can be pre-downloaded starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. PDT on September 30 and is a ~50 GB download. This download will happen automatically in the background if you have automatic updates enabled on Battle.net, otherwise you must manually begin the download by clicking on the gear icon on the right side of the play button and selecting "Check for Updates".
  • For existing console users, this can be done starting at approximately 9:00 a.m. PDT on October 4 and is a ~30 GB download.

• Merge your accounts—With the launch of cross-progression, players can merge multiple Overwatch accounts to carry progression and in-game cosmetics into Overwatch 2 on a single profile. Existing players with multiple accounts must confirm their account merge to carry over progress from Overwatch into Overwatch 2. If you’ve only made progress in Overwatch on a single platform, no action is needed from you. For more information on Account Merge, check out our FAQ.

Launch Checklist for New Players

• Create your Battle.net account—A Battle.net account is required to play Overwatch 2 on every platform. You can create your Battle.net account here.

• REQUIRED TO PLAY: Activate SMS Protection—All players much attach an eligible cell phone number to their Battle.net Account to play Overwatch 2. This is part of our Defense Matrix, a multi-pronged system to combat disruptive behavior. You can read more about the Defense Matrix here. Here's how to activate SMS protection on your account:
  1. Visit https://account.battle.net/ and log in. Navigate to "Account Details".
  2. Add your phone number, including the area code, where it says, "Phone Number". Please note, country code is restricted to the designated country listed on your Blizzard account and certain types of phone numbers, including pre-paid and VOIP, cannot be used for SMS Protect.
  3. Click "Continue". You'll receive an incoming SMS text message prompting you with a verification code. Enter this code in the field and click "Continue" to activate SMS protection. More info on adding a phone number to your account can be found here.

• Download Overwatch 2—For new console and PC users, this can be done at launch starting at approximately 12:00 p.m. PDT on October 4. The download size for console is ~30 GB and the download size for PC is ~50 GB.

Overwatch Servers Will Go Down Temporarily Before Launch

It’s no small feat to launch a video game! To do so for Overwatch 2, we’ll be taking the current version of Overwatch down starting at approximately 9:00 a.m. PDT on October 3. This means October 2 is your last full day to play the original Overwatch! Thanks for playing, and for your support as we celebrate Overwatch entering a bright and exciting new era.

With that, you’re all set! We look forward to grouping up with you soon in Overwatch 2!