Overwatch 2 Beta Test Starts Today

Opt-in to the first of many closed beta tests

By Mik Deitz  |  April 26, 2022 | 3:24pm
Video Games News Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 Beta Test Starts Today

Get ready to meet the next generation of heroes, as Blizzard has announced a Closed Beta Test for the hotly anticipated Overwatch 2 starting today, April 26.

By opting into the Beta (which you can do here), you gain access to play five versus five matches, try out the new hero Sojourn, explore four new maps, test out the upcoming push mode, and tinker with the reworked Orisa, Doomfist, Bastion, and Sombra.

While signing up for the Beta doesn’t necessarily guarantee you’ll get in this time, there’s still a chance for participation within future tests. Participants are generally chosen on various factors, including your Battle.net region, when you signed up for the test, and your PC hardware specs. Most importantly, and I’m gonna bold this so no one misses it, you must own a copy of Overwatch to access the beta.

Although this upcoming test is for PC only, Blizzard does promise to include console players within future tests. So if you fit these very specific circumstances, sign up and keep an eye out for an email sent to the address associated with your Battle.net account.

Blizzard did run a closed alpha last week for press and pros, and reactions were mixed.

With Overwatch 2 gaining steam toward its eventual release and use in esports, it’s important to remember that Activision Blizzard is still embroiled in controversy. Although one lawsuit with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was settled for $18 million, they are still being sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Employees have intermittently gone on strike, and Raven Software, a Quality Assurance (QA) support studio, has officially unionized (although Activision Blizzard still refuses to recognize them as such). Activision Blizzard did make all US-based QA workers full-time employees, except for those at Raven Software.

Raven Software’s union, the Game Workers Alliance Union, was recently given the greenlight from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to participate in a union election, on April 29, before it closes on May 20 with the results being counted via video conference on May 23.

In the meantime, Microsoft is set to acquire the company by next June in a record-breaking nearly $69 billion deal.

 
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