How to get into the Overwatch 2 beta

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How to sign up for the Overwatch 2 beta coming June 28, and what to expect

Overwatch 2
(Image credit: Blizzard)

How to get into the Overwatch 2 beta has become much easier to explain ever since Blizzard first unveiled the upcoming shooter. 

With Overwatch 2 now approaching an October 4 free-to-play soft launch, Blizzard's steadily widening the feedback floodgates and making it easier to try the game early. Here's everything you need to know to jump in.  

When is the next Overwatch 2 beta?  

A fresh Overwatch 2 beta will begin on Tuesday, June 28 at 11am PT / 2pm ET / 7pm BST and run through July 18. This time around, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5 players can all participate, and the beta will feature a new map plus new hero Junker Queen. All Overwatch regions except for China, Russia, and Belarus are included. 

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There's some important fine print about sign-ups and participation, so read on for more details. 

How to get into the Overwatch 2 beta

Overwatch

(Image credit: Blizzard)

As Blizzard explained in an FAQ published on the heels of the big June 16 Overwatch 2 reveal stream – which gave us our first good look at new hero Junker Queen – beta access does not carry over from the previous Overwatch 2 PvP beta. The studio has launched a new opt-in process, and you'll need to sign up again.

Head over to the Overwatch 2 beta sign-up homepage, select your desired platform, log in with your account, and you're all set. If you're on a PlayStation console, be sure to choose the region where your PlayStation Network account was created.

The opt-in form will remain open until June 28 or until Blizzard hits its maximum projected server capacity, so the sooner you sign up, the better. Keep your eyes peeled for an email invite afterward. 

Blizzard hopes to give everyone who opts in a chance to play "no later than July 14," but there are no guarantees with trials like this. At least, not unless you buy the Overwatch 2: Watchpoint Pack, as you'll then "be granted immediate beta access as soon as the Overwatch 2 Beta launches on June 28 at 11:00 AM PT, or whenever the Watchpoint Pack is purchased after the Beta kicks off." 

Overwatch 2 beta system requirements  

Straight from Blizzard, here are the minimum and recommended system requirements for those looking to play the Overwatch 2 beta on PC: 

Minimum (30fps)  

  • Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack) 
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD Phenom™ X3 8650 
  • Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 600 series, AMD Radeon™ HD 7000 series
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM 
  • Storage: 50 GB available hard drive space 

Recommended (60fps on Medium settings)  

  • Operating system: Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack) 
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 or AMD Ryzen™ 5 
  • Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 or AMD R9 380 
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM 
  • Storage: 50 GB available hard drive space 
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.

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