An early Overwatch 2 build will debut at OWL 2022

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That could narrow down the Overwatch 2 release date a fair bit

Overwatch 2
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

An early build of Overwatch 2 will be used for the Overwatch World League's (OWL) 2022 season, Blizzard confirmed today.

In a tweet sent out Friday afternoon, Blizzard's Overwatch League vice president, Jon Spector, confirmed that the league's next season is planned to kick off in April 2022. Spector also promises more information about the next season is coming shortly.

"I've seen a lot of speculation regarding a 2022 start date for OWL," Spector wrote. "We can confirm that our plan is to begin next season in April 2022. We will share more details about 2022 roster construction timelines soon and more info generally on our 2022 season as we get closer to April."

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DotEsports was the first to report that Overwatch 2 would be used for the league's next season, and Spector seems to confirm that information in a follow-up tweet. That suggests, but doesn't confirm, that the Overwatch sequel could be set to release in April 2022. For what it's worth, that timeframe lines up nicely with a recent report claiming Overwatch 2 is launching in Q2 2022.

We've known for some time now that Overwatch 2 isn't a conventional sequel. While it ticks most of the boxes of a sequel with new modes, maps, and characters, most of that will also be added to the first game, as Blizzard is going for a "shared multiplayer environment" that lets all players join matches together. Overwatch 2 will feature some exclusive stuff though, including a new PvE story campaign, hero missions, and visual/performance improvements.

Probably the biggest update to Overwatch 2 is the switch from the standard 6v6 PvP matches to 5v5, a change Blizzard announced earlier in the year. It should be interesting to see how competitors adapt to these updates in matches.

Looking for something new to play with friends? Consult our guide to the best online games in 2021.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.