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Updated: 6/10/2021
As soon as Overwatch was released, it quickly became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to the fact that it introduced new life to the hero shooter genre, especially one that is strictly a first-person shooter.
Thanks to a great marketing campaign which was possible due to the game’s charismatic characters and significant gameplay decisions, the game continues to live on today even roughly six years after the first beta was released.
It was only natural that the success of Overwatch caused the game’s publisher to demand a sequel – and it was finally revealed in 2019 that Overwatch 2 is in development. We have been given a lot of detail on the topic and the game sounds absolutely fantastic from the looks of it – and there were a few things that surprised everyone, such as the fact that the game will even support the first Overwatch in terms of multiplayer.
When a game is so heavily anticipated and happens to be a sequel to a very beloved game in the online gaming community, it’s only natural that fans want to know whether Overwatch 2 offers cross-platform multiplayer or not. After all, no one in 2021 wants to buy games on specific platforms just to play with their friends, and it dramatically helps the game’s success, too if players can encourage their friends on different consoles to buy it.
With so much information about Overwatch 2 scattered all over the internet, it can be hard to find the exact thing you’re looking for.
Fortunately, we’ve done our research and will answer your question on whether Overwatch 2 is a cross-platform game. So, let’s get right into it!
Overwatch 2 Cross-Play Explained
If you’re new to these terminologies – you must be wondering what all of this means in the first place. So, before we get to the big answers, let’s take a moment to explain this for those who need it.
There are three categories in cross-multiplayer capabilities, and they start with cross-platform multiplayer. This basically means that the player has the ability to play the game online with their friends regardless of what platform that they’re on. If you’re on a PC, you will be able to play with a PlayStation 4 player. If you’re on an Xbox One, you will be able to play with a Nintendo Switch player. That’s how the examples go, so you get the idea.
Afterwards we have cross-progression which refers to the ability of having the same progress and save data in a game regardless of where you started to play it first. For example, if you started a game on a PlayStation 4 and reached level 80 – you should be able to retrieve it any time on a different platform, like the PC.
Finally, we have cross-generation multiplayer which is basically the ability to play the game with people on two different consoles of the same brand – but not anyone else. For example, a PlayStation 4 player can play with a PlayStation 5 player, but not with someone on an Xbox One.
There we have it – our explanation of all three of these categories. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s answer the million-dollar question of whether Overwatch 2 is cross-play or not.
Is Overwatch 2 Cross-Play?
As much as fans must be anticipating Overwatch 2 and hoping that it features cross-platform multiplayer – the answer is unfortunately no. The first Overwatch, despite its popularity, does not feature cross-play or cross-progression capabilities. Gamers have been demanding that feature for a while, but as of now, PC players can’t play with someone on a console. And console gamers can’t play it with each other either.
For example, someone on a PlayStation 4 cannot play with someone on a Nintendo Switch. So, with Blizzard not announcing cross-play for Overwatch 2, it just becomes obvious that the same will happen with the upcoming sequel too.
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As much as fans must be anticipating Overwatch 2 and hoping that it features cross-platform multiplayer – the answer is unfortunately no. The first Overwatch, despite its popularity, only got cross-platform multiplayer approximately 5 years after its original release. Gamers have been demanding that feature for a while, and the developers did not implement the crucial feature until much later.
So, with Blizzard not announcing cross-play for Overwatch 2, it just becomes obvious that the same will happen with the upcoming sequel too.
There is of course the chance that the game might feature cross-platform on release anyway in a surprise announcement, but for now, it should be taken with a grain of salt. But even though the first game received the update so late, it does raise the hope for Overwatch 2 having cross-platform multiplayer too.
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The only thing that’s slightly different here is that Overwatch 2 will feature cross-generation multiplayer since it can play multiplayer matches with the first Overwatch game. So, people on different consoles of the same brand will be able to play with each other.
What can you play Overwatch 2 on?
Overwatch 2 will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch. And you can definitely expect a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S release too, although it’s not officially confirmed yet.
Is Overwatch 2 Cross-Platform between PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch?
As mentioned above, the answer is no. The game has separate versions on every platform and thus cannot cross-play with each other in any way.
Is Overwatch 2 coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S?
While it’s not officially confirmed for these platforms yet, it’s without a doubt the game will be released on them too. But even if it’s only on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One – these two consoles support the ability to run most online multiplayer games in a cross-generation manner thanks to limited backwards compatibility.
So, you will be able to run Overwatch 2 on a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S when it releases.
That’s the end of this guide, we hope that all of your questions were answered! While you’re here, don’t forget to check out some of our other helpful gaming guides on the website too.
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