Here are your Overwatch unlock times

When I was younger, “launch dates” were exactly that: the day upon which you'd go to the store and, assuming the shipment had arrived on time, pick up your box. The glorious digital future has granted us a much greater degree of precision for such things, however. These days, we have not just dates, but specific times—to the very minute!—when games will become playable.

Take Overwatch, for instance. We've known for quite awhile now that it will go live on May 24, but today Blizzard revealed that date applies only in Europe: North American gamers will be able to get their hands on it as early as 4 pm PDT, or 7 pm EDT, on May 23. Overwatchers in the Asia/Pacific part of the world, on the other hand, will have to wait until as late as 9 am AEST (that's Australia) before the fun begins.

Here's the full schedule, complete with a map that's not really helpful but far too swanky to leave out:

Detailed instructions for installing Overwatch, should you need them, as well as links to various Blizzard support options (in case things go sideways on launch day) are up at playoverwatch.com.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.