Summary
- Overwatch 2 will return to China on February 19 after a two-year absence, with a technical test on January 8.
- Chinese players have missed 12 seasons.
- The first live Overwatch Championship Series event in 2025 will take place in Hangzhou to celebrate the game's triumphant return to China.
Overwatch 2 is finally returning to China on February 19, with a technical test opening up for fans on January 8. After over two years, Overwatch 2 players in China will finally get to catch up on all the heroes, game modes, and other features from the 12 seasons they missed while their servers were unavailable.
On January 24, 2023, the contract between Blizzard and NetEase came to an end, meaning nearly every game developed by the former became unavailable to play in China, including Overwatch 2. Luckily, in April 2024, the two companies buried the hatchet and began the long process of restoring Blizzard games to China, one of the most populous countries in the world.
Overwatch 2 Players Aren't Happy After Recent Marvel Rivals Announcement
Many Overwatch 2 players are unhappy after a recent Marvel Rivals announcement confirming new heroes joining its roster in Season 1.
Now, Overwatch 2 is finally making its triumphant return to China. In a short video shared by Walter Kong, the global general manager of the Overwatch franchise, Blizzard announced the sequel shooter would be coming back to China on February 19 – right when Overwatch 2 Season 15 is scheduled to begin. Ahead of that, an open technical test will be running from January 8 through 15, giving every Chinese player the chance to try all 42 heroes, including Hazard, Overwatch 2 Season 14’s new tank, and the Overwatch Classic 6v6 game mode.
Overwatch 2 Returns to China on February 19
Were that not exciting enough, Overwatch esports is coming back with a vengeance in 2025 with the Overwatch Championship Series, wherein Chinese players will be able to compete in a new dedicated China region. What’s more, the first live Overwatch Championship Series event in 2025 will take place in Hangzhou to celebrate its triumphant return to China.
To put into perspective exactly how much Chinese fans have missed, their servers shut down during Overwatch 2 Season 2. Ramattra was the latest hero in the game at the time, meaning they will have six new heroes to play: Lifeweaver, Illari, Mauga, Venture, Juno, and Hazard. On top of that, the Flashpoint and Clash game modes, the Antarctic Peninsula, Samoa, and Runasapi maps, and Invasion story missions were all released after their servers closed down – not to mention tons of hero reworks and balance adjustments – so Chinese players will have a lot to catch up on.
Unfortunately, it seems like the 2025 Lunar New Year event in Overwatch 2 will end shortly before the game returns to China, meaning these fans might miss out on the in-game event, including its new skins and the return of the Prop Hunt game mode. Hopefully, Overwatch 2 will hold a belated version of the event so Chinese fans can celebrate their new year in the game along with their return to Future Earth.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
OVERWATCH®, A FUTURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future.
Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Reign of Talon - Season 1: Conquest
The Next Big Story Begins
The world shifts as 2026 begins a year-long narrative arc where Overwatch and Talon face off in the fight for the future, joined by five new Heroes at once. Step into the story and shape what comes next!
After ten years, Season 1 opens the first chapter of Overwatch's next big story, where your choices will put you right into the fight for the future!
For the first time, five new Heroes hit the roster together, bringing new playstyles, new dynamics, and new voices into the fray all at once. Jet Pack Cat, Anran, Domina, Emre, and Mizuki arrive just in time for Reign of Talon: Conquest, launching a year-long narrative where conflict takes center stage and you contribute to how it unfolds.
Choose where you stand as Overwatch and Talon collide in a faction-driven event with outcomes that will leave visible marks on the world and your legacy. Along the way, Competitive gets a refresh and Core gameplay evolves, changing how things feel across the board.
This season sets a fresh tone for how the Overwatch story is told and how you play it.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Overwatch
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Shooter, FPS, MOBA, Multiplayer
- How Long To Beat
- 35 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 85.1 GB
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
