Overwatch servers have been shut down prior to Overwatch 2 launch

Blizzard Entertainment has taken down the Overwatch servers ahead of the release of Overwatch 2. They will be offline for maintenance until tomorrow, noon PST. For those who already own the first game on PC, the sequel is available for preload on Battle.net.

New players who create an account on or after launch day will go through the user experience for the first time. Lock out various heroes and modes until approximately 100 matches have been played. All players will also need to merge accounts on different platforms and enable SMS Protect to play.

Overwatch 2 will be available tomorrow for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. It’s a free-to-play early access title that adds six new maps, three new heroes, and a new mode, Push, to the existing game (along with various other changes).

Season 1 also starts tomorrow, and one of the new heroes, Kiriko, must be unlocked by reaching level 55 in the Battle Pass. Paying 1,000 Overwatch Coins or $10 unlocks it instantly, though Overwatch 1 players get immediate access through the Founder’s Pack.