Overwatch news » Overwatch Beta Test Weekend April 15–17

Beta Test Weekend strike team: it's time to re-deploy!

From Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April 17, we'll be hosting our second invitation-only Beta Test Weekend! For a limited time (36 hours to be exact), we'll be opening up the Overwatch beta test to a much larger number of players in the Americas, Europe, and Asia gameplay regions for another round of stress testing.

The objective: help us get our server hardware and technology ready for release!

• Deployment Schedule
• Mission Details
• Installation and Play Instructions
• Feedback and Bug Reporting
• Beta Test Weekend FAQ

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Our second and final Beta Test Weekend will begin on Friday, April 15 at 18:00 CEST and end on Sunday, April 17 at 06:00 CEST.

To help us get the most out of this testing phase, we will be flagging accounts for the Beta Test Weekend beginning in the moring of Friday, April 15. Once flagged, we encourage all new recruits to download and install the beta client so you can be ready for action once the stress test officially begins.

If you're selected to participate in this Beta Test Weekend, you'll see an Install button appear in the Overwatch tab of your Battle.net desktop app as well as an Overwatch Beta license in the YOUR GAME ACCOUNTS section of Battle.net Account Management.

You'll also receive a Beta Test Weekend invitation sent via email to your registered address; however, please note that these messages are sometimes slow to arrive.

During the Beta Test Weekend, all players (including those currently in the Closed Beta) will have access to the full roster of 21 heroes and a limited selection of maps: Hanamura, Route 66, and Nepal. Certain features will also be unavailable during this Beta Test Weekend.

Since this is a stress test, we're primarily interested in your technical feedback, like how Overwatch runs on your system, your experience with the beta servers, critical bug reports, and other game-impacting problems. One of our goals is to push our hardware to the limit, so don't be surprised if you experience performance issues or run into unexpected downtime—that's all part of the process.

Before you begin, you'll first need to download the game. To install and play on April 15–17, please follow the instructions below. Note that if you're already in the Closed Beta, you do not need to repeat these steps or reinstall the game.

Step 1: Download the Battle.net desktop app, if you haven't already, and launch it.

Step 2: Log in using the Battle.net account that was flagged for Beta Test Weekend access.

Step 3: Click the Overwatch icon, located on the left-hand side of the Battle.net desktop app.

Step 4: Select your region from the drop-down menu, then click Install to begin the installation process.

Step 5: Once the Beta Test Weekend gets underway on Friday morning, select the "Americas" from the drop-down and click Play to begin!

Note that even though you will need to select "Americas" to play during this Beta Test Weekend, once logged in you will be automatically routed to servers appropriate for your region and ping.

If you're new to team shooters like Overwatch, you might want to first play through the in-game Tutorial, Practice Range, or Practice vs. AI modes to learn the ropes. We also recommend checking out our hero overviews, accessed via the Hero Gallery or by hitting F1 when in a game, to get a feel for how each of our heroes operate.

We've set up a few dedicated communications channels where Beta Test Weekend participants can discuss gameplay, report bugs, and talk about their experience with fellow players:

• Stress Test Feedback – Share your feedback on heroes, features, systems, and more.
• Stress Test Bug Report – Report any in-game bugs you find during gameplay.
• Stress Tech Support – Report any technical issues you encounter while playing.

These forums will require a Beta Test Weekend license in order to post. As a result, please note that you'll no longer be able to create new threads or reply to existing topics once the Beta Test Weekend concludes.

Q. How long will the Beta Test Weekend last?
A. This Beta Test Weekend begins on Friday, April 15 at 18:00 CEST and ends on Sunday, April 17 at 06:00 CEST.

Q. How will I know if I'm selected to participate in the Beta Test Weekend?
A. If you are selected to participate in the Beta Test Weekend, you'll see an Install button appear in the Overwatch tab of your Battle.net desktop app as well as an "Overwatch Beta" license in the YOUR GAME ACCOUNTS section of Battle.net Account Management.

You will also receive an invite via email. Invites will always be sent to the email address associated with your Battle.net account. To help avoid phishing attempts, if you believe you've received an invite, it's best to refrain from clicking on any links in the email(s) you receive. Instead, as noted above, you can verify that your account has been granted a Closed Beta license in Battle.net Account Management.

Q. How are Beta Test Weekend participants selected?
A. Beta Test Weekend participants are chosen from our Overwatch beta opt-in pool based on a variety of factors, including (but not limited to) your Battle.net region, when you signed up, your computer hardware specifications, and an element of luck.

Q. How do I opt-in to the Beta Test Weekends?
A. There is no special opt-in process for Beta Test Weekends. If you opted-in for the beta, you're all set!

As a reminder: To opt into the beta, visit your Beta Profile Settings page in Account Management, check the "Overwatch" box under "Beta Tests I'm Interested In," and then click "Update Preferences." Alternatively, you can also sign up by clicking here.

Please note that opting in will not guarantee you access to a Beta Test Weekend.

Q. Will there be any other ways to get into a Beta Test Weekend besides opting-in?
A. Not at this time. Also, please note that Overwatch beta keys do not exist. Access to Beta Test Weekends will be provided solely through account flagging.

Q. What gameplay regions are eligible for the Beta Test Weekend?
A. For this Beta Test Weekend, we will be inviting players from the Americas, Europe, and Asia gameplay regions. For more information on which countries are associated with each of our gameplay regions, click here.

Q. What languages are supported in the Closed Beta?
A.The beta currently supports 12 languages: English, French, German, Castilian Spanish, Polish, Italian, Russian, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Chinese (Simple) and Chinese (Traditional).

Q. If I get invited to the Beta Test Weekend, can I stream or create content about the game?
A. Absolutely! There is no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for this Beta Test Weekend. You are encouraged to take screenshots, livestream your play sessions, record feedback videos—whatever your heart desires. The game is still a work in progress, though, so we appreciate your understanding when you encounter bugs, graphical errors, or other issues.

Q. Can I run tournaments with a prize pool during a Beta Test Weekend?
A. While the Beta Test Weekend is only two days long, you are welcome to run tournaments (with or without prize pools). However, given the size and scope of this phase of beta, we will not be issuing tournament licenses for large-scale events with prize pools over $10k. For smaller events, please review our Community Tournament Guidelines before you begin planning to make sure your community tournament is in compliance.

If you would like to begin discussing your tournament plans for after game launch, or have any other questions, feel free to reach out to Tourneyinfo-EU@Blizzard.com any time.

Q. Will any progress I make during the Beta Test Weekend carry over to the live game?
A. No. We've no plans at this time for your activity during the Beta Test Weekend to carry over.

Q. What happens when the Beta Test Weekend ends?
Following the end of this Beta Test Weekend on Saturday, April 16 at 9:00 p.m. PDT, the beta will be brought offline for a short scheduled maintenance. During this maintenance, all Beta Test Weekend participants will have their beta access removed. At this point, these players will no longer be able to log in to the game or post in our beta forums.

Players with Closed Beta access will be otherwise unaffected and able to continue playing (and posting) as normal after maintenance concludes.

Q.When is the next Beta Test Weekend?
A. This is our final our Beta Test Weekend. The Overwatch Open Beta runs May 5-9, however, and will be available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One—click here to learn more!

Q. I was selected for the last Beta Test Weekend, will that guarantee me access to this Beta Test Weekend?
A. No. Being selected to participate in our previous Beta Test Weekend will not guarantee you access to this Beta Test Weekend. On the flip side, it won't prevent you from being selected, either, or otherwise affect your eligibility in any way.

Q. If I'm selected for this Beta Test Weekend, will that prevent me from getting access to the Closed Beta?
A. No. Being selected to participate in this (or any previous) Beta Test Weekend will not prevent you from being selected to participate in the Closed Beta, or otherwise affect your eligibility in any way. It won't increase your chances of being selected, either.

Q. What are the system requirements for this Beta Test Weekend?
A. See below!

Minimum (targeting 30fps):

• Operating system: Windows® Vista/7/ 8/10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD Phenom™ X3 865
• Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460, ATI Radeon™ HD 4850, or Intel® HD Graphics 4400
• Memory: 768 MB VRAM, 4 GB System RAM
• Storage: 7200 RPM with 5 GB available HD space

Recommended (targeting 60fps on Medium settings):

• Operating system: Windows® Vista/7/ 8/10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 or AMD Phenom™ II X3, 2.8 GHz
• Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660 or ATI Radeon™ HD 7950
• Memory: 2 GB VRAM, 6 GB System RAM
• Storage: 7200 RPM with 5 GB available HD space

For the best performance, please be sure to update to the latest drivers available for your graphics card.

Due to potential changes, the system requirements for this game may change over time.

p>Q. When will the Closed Beta end??
A. The Closed Beta will end before May 3, 2016. The exact date is still to be determined, though we'll provide Closed Beta participants with advanced notice.

Q. What is the business model for Overwatch?
A. Overwatch is currently available for pre-purchase on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. For more information, visit www.buyoverwatch.com.

Q. When will the game be released?
A. Overwatch launches May 24, 2016!