Overwatch 1's servers have been taken offline and the game is officially dead. The original Overwatch game launched in 2016, but it is being completely replaced by its sequel, the upcoming Overwatch 2. In preparation for the sequel's launch, Blizzard has shut down the Overwatch 1 servers. When the servers come back online, Overwatch 1 will cease to exist and Overwatch 2 will be in its place.
Overwatch was a smash hit for Blizzard when the game first launched, earning widespread critical acclaim, Game of the Year awards, and general enthusiasm from the community. It was seen as a knockout success for the company, kickstarting its first new IP in years. Blizzard kept fans playing Overwatch thanks to a steady stream of content, but interest in the game started to wane as the new heroes, maps, and modes slowed down.
To bring people back to Overwatch, Blizzard decided to make Overwatch 2, a sequel that is launching in early access on October 4. Instead of splitting the playerbase, Blizzard has decided to make it so the Overwatch 2 files will overwrite the original game. This is sad for those who prefer Overwatch 1's 6v6 gameplay, but it's good news for those that have never had the chance to play Overwatch before as Overwatch 2 is launching as a free-to-play release.
The Overwatch servers are down right now, and they will remain down until October 4 at 11am PT. At that point, the servers will start coming back online, though it's unclear if everyone will be getting access all at once at 11am PT or if it will happen gradually. Previously, Blizzard said that the official Overwatch 2 launch time was actually 12pm PT, so fans should keep that in mind.
While fans wait for the Overwatch servers to come back online with the launch of Overwatch 2, Blizzard suggests that they check out the Watchpoint Pack. The Watchpoint Pack gets Overwatch 2 players the Season 1 Battle Pass, two skins, and 2,000 Overwatch Coins, which is enough to purchase the Seasons 2 and 3 Battle Passes as well. A previous bonus of the Watchpoint Pack was access to the game itself, but that is obviously no longer a factor.
Besides moving to a 5v5 setup, Overwatch 2 is making changes to Tank heroes, introducing the new Push game mode, and adding three new heroes for players to check out in the form of Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko. Needless to say, Overwatch fans should have plenty of new content to check out in the weeks ahead.
Overwatch was available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
