Overwatch news » Play Overwatch® FREE May 5–9 During the Open Beta
Prepare to clash on the battlefields of tomorrow and take your place in the ranks of Overwatch®—a legendary force of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities—in the Open Beta! Assemble your friends and try out the ultimate team-based shooter for FREE May 5–9 on PC, PlayStation® 4, and Xbox One.
Mission Details:
The Overwatch Open Beta will be available May 5–9 on PC, PlayStation® 4, and Xbox One! Players who have pre-purchased or pre-ordered Overwatch by April 29 will be eligible for early access starting May 3.
- EARLY ACCESS: The early access portion of the Open Beta will begin on all supported platforms May 2 at 4:00 p.m. PDT (11:00 p.m. UTC). An early access key will be required to play—click here for details.
- ALL ACCESS: The all access portion of the Open Beta will begin on all supported platforms May 4 at 4:00 p.m. PDT (11:00 p.m.UTC). All players will be able to play for FREE during this period; no sign-up or code required.
The Open Beta will conclude in all regions for all players on Monday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. PDT (5:00 p.m. UTC).
Before you begin, you'll first need to download the Overwatch Open Beta on your chosen platform. To install and play on May 3 (for Early Access) or May 5 (for All Access), please follow the instructions below.
FOR WINDOWS PC:
Step 1: Downloand and install the Battle.net desktop app, if you haven't already, and launch it.
Step 2: Create a FREE Battle.net account, or log in with an existing account.
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 installed, click "Play" to begin!
FOR PLAYSTATION 4:
Step 1: Turn on your PlayStation 4 and log in to your preferred local user.
Step 2: Go to PlayStation Store and select "Search" from the top menu.
Step 3: In the search field, type in "Overwatch."
Step 4: Select "Overwatch Open Beta" from the search results and then click "Download."
Step 5: Once the download and installation process is complete, click "Start" to begin!
FOR XBOX ONE:
Step 1: Turn on your Xbox One and log in to your Xbox Live account.
Step 2: Go to the Xbox One Store, select "Games," then select "Search All Games."
Step 3: In the search field, type in "Overwatch."
Step 4: Select "Overwatch Open Beta" from the search results and then click "Download."
Step 5: Once the download and installation process is complete, click "Launch" to begin!
The Overwatch Open Beta client will be available for download on all supported platforms beginning at the designated launch times listed above: on May 3 (for Early Access) and on May 5 (for All Access).
Q. What game content will be available during the Open Beta?
A. During the Open Beta, players will have access to Overwatch's full roster of heroes, maps, and launch-day features—including Competitive Play, Custom Games, Loot Boxes, and Weekly Brawl. We want players to get a feel for the complete Overwatch experience, so no content will be restricted or locked!
Q. How many heroes are available in Overwatch?
A. There are 21 heroes available to play in Overwatch! To learn more about these heroes, click here.
Q. How many maps are available in Overwatch?
A. There are four different game modes and 12 different maps available in Overwatch!
- Assault: Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, and Volskaya Industries
- Escort: Dorado, Route 66, and Watchpoint: Gibraltar
- Assault/Escort Hybrid: Hollywood, King's Row, and Numbani
- Control: Ilios, Lijiang Tower, and Nepal
Q. How many players does each mode support?
A. All game modes and maps currently support 12 players in a 6v6 format.
Q. What different play modes are available in Overwatch?
A. There are a variety of ways to play Overwatch!
- Quick Play: Jump into a game against other players of similar skill.
- Play vs. AI: Hone your skills against a team of AI-controlled heroes.
- Competitive Play: Compete against other players and work your way up the ranks. Unlocks at level 25.
- Custom Game: Customize the rules and play a game with your friends or AI.
- Weekly Brawl: Change things up with brawls featuring different rules sets and restrictions.
Players can also learn the ropes in a series of training modes: Tutorial, Practice Range, and Practice vs. AI.
Q. Do I need Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus to participate in the Open Beta?
A. Due to the multiplayer nature of Overwatch, Xbox Live Gold is required to play during the Open Beta and at launch. PlayStation Plus is not required during the Open Beta, but will be required to play at launch.
Q. Will my progress from the Open Beta carry over to the launch version of the game?
A. No. All progression including skins, rewards, levels, and stats gained during the Open Beta will be reset at launch. This includes any progression gained during the early access portion, as well.
Q. Will PC and console gamers be able to play together during the Open Beta?
A: No, cross-platform play will not be available during the Open Beta or at launch.
Q. Will there be any sort of maintenance planned during the Open Beta?
A. There's no downtime or maintenance currently planned for the Open Beta on any platform. If this plan changes at any point, we'll be sure to provide information about major service interruptions in the official beta forums. For additional status updates, be sure to follow @PlayOverwatch on Twitter.
Q. What are the PC system requirements for the Open Beta?
A. See below!
Minimum (targeting 30fps):
- Operating system: Windows® 7/Windows®8 /Windows®10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD Phenom™ X3 8650
- Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460, ATI Radeon™ HD 4850, or Intel® HD Graphics 4400
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Storage: 30 GB available hard drive space
- Broadband internet connection
- 1280x780 minimum display resolution
Recommended (targeting 60fps on Medium settings):
- Operating system: Windows® 7/Windows®8 /Windows®10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 or AMD Phenom™ II X3 or better
- Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660 or ATI Radeon™ HD 7950 or better
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Storage: 30 GB available hard drive space
- Broadband internet connection
- 1280x780 minimum display resolution
For the best performance, please be sure to update to the latest drivers available for your graphics card.
Q. Can I stream or create content about the game during the Open Beta?
A. Absolutely! There is no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for the Open Beta. You are encouraged to take screenshots, livestream your play sessions, record feedback videos—whatever your heart desires.
Q. Can I run tournaments with a prize pool during the Open Beta?
A. You are welcome to run tournaments (with or without prize pools). Prior to the game's launch, however, 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@blizzard.com any time.
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!
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