How to spectate matches in Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 gives players the option to spectate matches other than just playing them. If you want to monitor how a friend is getting on or watch their gameplay as you wait to party up with them, we’ve got all the instructions you need.

Blizzard’s follow-up to their Hero shooter series, Overwatch 2, wasn’t a complete reinvention of the original game, it was more of a continuation. This isn’t a bad thing, and it’s why players keep coming back each month and tuning into the OWL.

In terms of the actual game itself, the format has radically changed from its usual 6v6 format to 5v5, and while this alters the dynamic of every match, it also means there’s one less spot for players to fill. This means joining a game with your friend can be harder, for example.

If you are looking to enter spectator mode for whatever reason and don’t know how, our guide will show you what to do.

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How to enter spectator mode in Overwatch 2

If you’re looking to spectate in Overwatch 2, you’ll need to wait and join a friend if it’s in Quick Play or Arcade, or switch to the Spectator side of things in Custom games.

Arcade mode & Quick Play

So, if you want to join a friend in a regular match, you’ll have to wait until they’re online and in an ongoing match. Once they are, open up the game’s social list to find the friend in question you’re looking for. When that’s done, click on their name, and press Spectate.

This will then take you to the match and you can cycle through players to enjoy the action.

Custom games

On the other hand, for a Custom game, join the lobby, and select the Spectator team. From there, it will be the same deal.

That wraps up everything we know about spectating in Overwatch 2! If you’re after more guides to help you out in the game, check out our content below:

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