Overwatch 2 PVP beta kicks off in April, brings new hero Sojourn and game modes

In a new developer update, game director Aaron Keller has announced that Overwatch 2 will be starting its closed PVP Beta in April 2022. The beta will debut the new hero Sojourn, four maps, and the new Push game mode, which was showcased back at Blizzcon 2019.
Development on Overwatch 2 was halted briefly, following the gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment cases against various employees at Activision Blizzard. The title, which was announced back in 2019 had received barely any updates and kept getting delayed indefinitely, to the point where Jeff Kaplan, former VP and head of Overwatch left the company to avoid any involvement with the lawsuits.
In this new video, Aaron claims that the studio intends to provide regular development and status updates on Overwatch 2. First, there is an alpha PVP testing, later this week, which will be limited solely to Blizzard employees and professional Esports players – under NDA. Fans, however, can sign up to play the closed PVP beta in April visiting the official website.

#Overwatch2 PVP Beta is coming soon.
🎮 OW2 PVP Beta begins late April🍁 New heroes, maps, and modes✋ Beta Sign Up https://t.co/jC3gYjfdBc💯 It’s been 0 days since the last Overwatch 2 update pic.twitter.com/OFg0DAqJQR
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 10, 2022
At the time, players will be treated to the new white-haired hero Sojourn, for whom, Blizzard has provided barely any information. The beta will also introduce the new 5v5 game mode, which is something players have been asking for since 2019 after the GOATS meta began. The roles will now be limited to a 2-1-2 format – two damage, one tank, and two support characters.

Other additions include 4 new maps, starting with the ‘Circuit Royal,’ which is an Escort map and ‘Midtown,’ a Hybrid map. Then there is the new Push mode, which essentially functions like an opposite tug-of-war, where the two teams push the objective to either side. For this, Blizzard is introducing two new maps called the ‘New Queen Street’ and ‘Colosseo.’
Another much-requested feature is the Ping system, which is ideal for those who do not have a mic or have speech-related issues, hindering in-game communication. The new feature will be tested in the closed beta, letting players mark areas on the map for coordinated movement or alerting an enemy’s presence – similar to Call of Duty: Warzone.

Heroes namely Orisa, Sombra, Bastion, and Doomf will also be receiving some reworks, with Aaron claiming that the title will see new content on regular basis.
Overwatch 2 was initially revealed as a PVE co-op experience, where players pick heroes from the roster and fight incoming hordes of AI enemies, with a plot lingering in the background. The game also featured a skill upgrade system, which relied on XP earned via gameplay.
According to producer Trace Kennedy, CEO Bob Kotick played a major role in the title’s delay, causing months of OW2 development to be lost. In a tweet, she claimed that Kotick would “shove down” utterly insane ideas and projects for the game, for which, the developers would do overtime. Those ideas would then be cancelled on a whim with no remorse for the team.