New Overwatch map is live and takes us to the sun-kissed hills of Italy

Overwatch
(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

Overwatch has a brand new map called Malevento, live right now on the Public Test Server. 

Just earlier today on August 27, Activision Blizzard announced through a press release that a new map was live for Overwatch's Public Test Server on PC. This map is called Malevento, and it's exclusively a free-for-all deathmatch map originating from Italy.

Overwatch

(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

While the new Malevento map is available right now on PC for Overwatch, it'll be another month before it joins the full game. Malevento will be eventually going live in Overwatch for all players on all platforms outside the PTR next month on September 28.

This is the first news we've had from the original Overwatch in a while, despite the fact that Blizzard is still keep to support its original game. It's also been a fair while since we last saw or heard anything from Overwatch 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the original Blizzard hero shooter.

News sprung up from the sequel in the weeks following late May 2021 however, when Blizzard originally revealed that they would be cutting the player count in PvP games of Overwatch 2 from six to five per side. Shortly after that, it was announced that Overwatch 2's maps would feature dynamic weather cycles, before the game's technical director commented that Overwatch 2 on the Nintendo Switch would feature "some compromises." More recently, a rumor claimed Overwatch 2 might not be launching until at least 2023.

You can read up on our Activision Blizzard lawsuit explained feature for a complete report on the lawsuit currently facing the Overwatch publisher and developer.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.