Blizzard announces Overwatch crossplay: Platforms & how it works

Crossplay is finally coming to Overwatch ⁠— Blizzard has confirmed the popular connectivity feature will be added to PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch through a global Battle.net update “in the near future.”

Overwatch is set to follow in the footsteps of rivals like Apex Legends, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Destiny 2, and plenty more later this year with the arrival of crossplay.

The feature will be added via a Battle.net global update.

“Crossplay beta is coming to Overwatch, allowing players to play together,” Blizzard confirmed on June 9. “Powered by this new Battle.net update, players from around the world can team up, regardless of their preferred platforms.”

The long-awaited Overwatch crossplay beta will launch on all console versions of Blizzard’s competitive title, including PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch.

To join up for the early Overwatch crossplay beta, players will simply have to make a Battle.net account, and link it to their console accounts of choice.

Blizzard will also sweeten the crossplay pot too ⁠— not that it really needed sweetening — once the connectivity feature eventually releases; any Overwatch player who logs into Overwatch before the end of the year (Dec 31, 2021) will receive a free Golden Loot Box to celebrate the launch.

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The update will also merge Battle.net friends lists. This means players will “no longer need to switch regions to play with buddies on the other side of the planet.”

Blizzard has not pinpointed when Overwatch crossplay will officially launch in their flagship series, though Dexerto expects it to come soon after the beta ends.

Overwatch 2 has also not been mentioned in crossplay conversations, but it would be very surprising for the sequel to be excluded from the console-connecting feature when it finally arrives.

China plans to remain separate from Overwatch’s crossplay games.