Overwatch 2 beta dated, more character reworks teased

Blizzard has announced a date for the first Overwatch 2 beta: April 26th.

Keep in mind, as announced last week, this a PC-only closed beta, so not everyone will be able to participate. Still, if you sign up on the site and Blizzard chooses you, that’s when you’ll be able to hop in.

The date came during a developer livestream that was more about discussing the current alpha in broad terms than breaking news, though a few tidbits did emerge alongside the beta date.

First, while this current beta is limited to PC players, the team did say they’re “working toward” being able to include console players in a future beta test. It’s unclear when exactly subsequent betas will follow on from this one. Still, given Blizzard’s recent decision to launch Overwatch 2‘s multiplayer separate from the PvE mode—with the goal of launching faster as a result—we may be getting a console beta sooner rather than later.

Next up, the team briefly touched on a few character reworks, though without going into much detail. First, Doomfist will now fall into the tank role, rather than the offensive slot he fills in Overwatch. Second, Orisa will be getting a spear. We’ll have to wait to find out how exactly these reworks will impact abilities. Unless, you know, you just read some of the leaks from the ongoing alpha.

Joking aside, the team did warn on the stream that a lot of these reworks are still very much in flux, with Orisa getting an overhaul just this morning. Keep in mind that leaks may not accurately reflect what you’ll be playing the beta, let alone in the final game.

Overwatch 2 still has no release date. It’s expected to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.