Everything we know about Overwatch 2’s Clash Mode: Hanaoka, release date, limited-time test & more

Yet another new Overwatch 2 mode called Clash has been announced, a mode that aims to bring back some of the 2CP maps that have been lost as 2CP was removed. Here’s everything we know about the mode so far.

Though the decision to remove maps like Hanamura and Temple of Anubis was a tough call for Overwatch’s developers back in the day, 2CP was a much-hated mode that many felt was unhealthy for the game.

However, more than a year into 2CP’s death, Overwatch’s devs revealed Clash will be 2CP’s true successor. So here is everything you need to know about the upcoming game mode.

Does Overwatch 2’s Clash mode have a release date?

As of now, there’s no release date locked in for the Clash mode, however, is expected to be released in Season 11. Game Director Aaron Keller assured that it will be released sometime in 2024 regardless.

However, despite its full release not known yet, a limited-time test for Clash and its first map, Hanaoka, will be starting on Season 10, from April 16 to 29.

Clash rules and objectives

Overwatch 2’s upcoming Clash mode may have five capture points, but it’s more about a gradual victory and working toward one goal rather than scrambling around the map like Flashpoint. Rather, it’s a push-and-pull battle of who can capture the most points.

Blizzard Entertainment

The map is mirrored, with each team contesting one point at a time in what’s essentially a big game of tug-of-war.

Teams can win in two ways. Either by capturing all five points, so depending on which side you’re on it’s until point A or E.

Or the first team to capture five points total before their enemy. They don’t need to have captured all the points on the map, just five separate points.

The devs claim Overwatch 2’s Clash mode is heavily defender-favored when it comes to those final points, so making it all the way to either A or E is extremely difficult.

And in our time playing it, most games have ended with either our or the enemy team capturing five points.

However, specifics of how the game mode will play out in the final version could change, as the devs said the limited-time trial will be an opportunity for them to make any necessary changes before it goes live into Quick Play and Ranked’s rotation.

Hanaoka and other Clash maps

Overwatch 2’s clash mode is bringing back Hanamura as Hanaoka, a map that was shown off a bit at Blizzcon. It’ll be right next to Hanamura and have a lot of similar features but is an entirely different map.

The map, like all other capture-based maps that ever come to the game, will be mirrored.

The devs also said Volskaya was the first map they thought up this mode with, showing off concept art that dated back as far as 2010. While this mode feels like it’s being revealed a short time after Flashpoint’s addition, the devs seem to have been thinking on Clash for a while.

The devs have yet to reveal additional maps other than Hanaoka that will be released for Clash, however, it seems that Clash is being used as an opportunity to revamp some of 2CP’s map pool.