The Overwatch 2 release time comes the day after the shutdown of Overwatch 1.
It’s rare you see one game end and its sequel begin in just over 24 hours – but Blizzard’s approach is designed to see its entire community transition from one game to another.
For Overwatch fans, it’s a bittersweet week – so here’s the Overwatch 1 shutdown time so you can fit in one final match, before playing the Overwatch 2 release shortly after.
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Overwatch 1 server shutdown time: When is Overwatch 1 shutting down?
Unlike previous Activision Blizzard games – such as Destiny, Call of Duty or Diablo – the original Overwatch’s servers are being shutdown ahead of the free-to-play sequel.
The downtime between games is fairly short, however – so you won’t have too long to wait. If you want to fit in one final match, then the Overwatch 1 server shutdown times are as follows:
- UK: 5pm (BST)
- Europe: 6pm (CEST)
- East Coast US: 12pm (EDT)
- West Coast US: 9am (PDT)
Blizzard says the above times are approximate – so it’s possible you might be able to cram in one or two more sessions after the above. Either way – worth getting in some final playtime now.
Know that as an owner of the original Overwatch, you will recieve the Founder’s Pack – unlocking new hero Kiriko, as well as having access to all other heroes automatically.
Overwatch 2 release time: When does Overwatch 2 release?
Overwatch 2 will release at the following launch times on both PC and console:
- UK: 8pm (BST)
- Europe: 9pm (CEST)
- East Coast US: 3pm (EDT)
- West Coast US: 12pm (PDT)
Blizzard says the above times are approximate. This being a live game, it’s possible things might be delayed – so prepare for times to slip a little while the finishing touches are being made.
While you wait, new players should create a Battle.net account if you haven’t already, and set up two factor authentication. This is a requirement across all platforms – including on consoles.
If you are new, know that you have to play 100 matches to unlock the entire roster. For returning players, the entire roster will be available to you. There is a new Battle Pass system to learn, however – here’s Bertie with everything you need to know.
If you are already an Overwatch player, then you can begin to merge your progression from the original game into the sequel, even if you are switching platforms. Heres the official blog post for how it works.
You can also start pre-loading ahead of time so you can start playing as soon as servers go live…
Overwatch 2 pre-load times and size
Ahead of Overwatch 2 launching, you can start pre-loading the game, meaning you can hit the ground running once the release time rolls around.
Pre-loading on PC is available now, while on consoles they go live at the following times:
- UK: 5pm (BST)
- Europe: 6pm (CEST)
- East Coast US: 12pm (EDT)
- West Coast US: 9am (PDT)
Meanwhile, the download size will be around 50 GB on PC, and around 30 GB on console.
