Overwatch 2's first beta begins on April 26 and you'll be able to get access to it by watching specific streamers like Pokimane, Seagull, and others on Twitch, according to Blizzard's new blog post. Even if you don't own the base game, which is required to play the beta, you'll be granted a free trial to it that lasts until the beta ends on May 17.
How do you get into the Overwatch 2 beta via Twitch?
Beta access through Twitch for Overwatch 2 is more time-limited than most Twitch drops. The Twitch drop periods last from April 27 at 10 am PT until 6 pm PT, so that gives you 8 hours to watch and earn an invite. In order to get access you have to watch 4 hours of one (or across several) of the many streamers that Blizzard has listed in its blog post.
To receive a Twitch drop, you must have your Battle.net account connected to your Twitch account, which you can do in the streaming site's settings. You'll know it's working when every Twitch stream says something like "drops enabled" below the streamer's custom stream title.
What's in the Overwatch 2 beta?
The Overwatch 2 beta sounds like it will resemble the alpha I played several weeks ago. It will primarily be focused on the game's 5v5 Quick Play mode and custom games. Competitive mode won't be available along with any of the game's tertiary features like account profiles and the player endorsement system.
The beta will include the new railgun-toting hero Sojourn as well as the reworked versions of Orisa and Doomfist. It's unclear if any new heroes will be made available in the beta at a later day. Blizzard will likely hold those until the next round of testing.
What can you expect from the Overwatch 2 streams?
Blizzard has roped in almost 200 streamers into playing Overwatch 2 on Twitch. Many of them will have access to the Overwatch 2 beta so that you can see the game played before you can play it yourself.
The official PlayOverwatch Twitch page will have a stream on the same day with developer interviews and a content creator competition. You might want to check that out in particular for some insight into what to expect from the future of the beta, like new heroes and maps.
How else do you get into the Overwatch 2 beta?
Blizzard also allows sign ups for the Overwatch 2 beta via its website. If you're chosen, you'll receive an email to the address that's associated with your Battle.net account telling you that you have the ability to download the beta client on the launcher. These emails will go out on April 26, and Blizzard said there's a chance more will go out later in the testing period.
Will there be more Overwatch 2 betas?
Blizzard said it will hold more Overwatch 2 betas in the future. That's all we currently know, but I wouldn't be surprised if future betas will increase the new hero count and make new modes, like Competitive, available for everyone.
What are the Overwatch 2 beta system requirements?
Minimum requirements (30 fps):
- OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 8650
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 600 series, AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Storage: 50 GB
Recommended requirements (60 fps):
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 series, AMD R9 380
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Storage: 50 GB
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