Over the last few weeks, streamers and other content creators have helped Blizzard showcase the closed-alpha build for the upcoming Overwatch 2. Through these content creators, fans have learned a little more about the upcoming 5v5 shooter, including some changes made to fan-favorite Overwatch characters. According to developer Blizzard, Overwatch 2 isn't a direct sequel per se; both the first Overwatch and Overwatch 2 are meant to coexist, giving players the option to play either game. Players will be able to play PvP matches with anyone playing either game, while Overwatch 2 specifically will have a heavy focus on PvE story missions.Since its announcement in 2019, Blizzard has had minimal updates on when players can expect to play Overwatch 2. Recently, Blizzard has decided to split the PvP and PvE aspects of the game up, and now, a select few can get their hands on the game's multiplayer early. The developers have somewhat opened up beta access for the game's PvP, with a limited number of passes available — the beta period lasting between April 26 and May 17.
Streamers to Watch for Overwatch 2 PvP Beta Access
Initially, players that wish to participate in the Overwatch 2 PvP beta would have had to sign up on the official Overwatch website. However, there is a long waiting list of people hoping to get the email confirming their access to the beta, and one would be lucky if they managed to gain access during the beta testing period. Fortunately, Blizzard has opened up another avenue for fans to pick up access to the game's beta.
On April 27, Blizzard is launching a massive Twitch drop initiative with 204 streamers in this event. Starting at 11 a.m. PT, and lasting for eight hours until 7 p.m., those interested in getting the chance to try out the new Overwatch 2 hero Sojourn will need to watch any participating stream for a total of four hours during that eight-hour window. Fans should note that watch time is accumulative, so viewers can switch between streamers without worry.
Only web browsers and the Twitch iOS and Android apps currently support Twitch Drops. Those who watch participating streams on console, smart TV, or any other app won't have their watch hours count. Once viewers have hit the four-hour total and are eligible to participate in the Overwatch 2 beta, they will receive a notification on Twitch. With that said, here are some notable streamers from the 204 participating:
Before the event starts, those interested in getting beta access should ensure that their Twitch and Battle.net are linked, which can be done in the Connections tab of Twitch's Settings page. For this beta test, only PC players will be able to participate, although console players can join in future beta tests. Before heading off to partake in the drop, players should double-check that their PC can handle playing Overwatch 2. Here are the recommended specs for 30fps and 60fps gameplay:
Minimum (targeting 30fps):
- Operating system: Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / 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 (targeting 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
Overwatch 2 is in development.