Between all the nostalgia bait and teasing, many assumed that Blizzard Entertainment was bringing back the original Overwatch. And it is, but not as a separate game. Overwatch: Classic will be available starting November 12th as a limited-time event in Overwatch 2 until December 2nd.
In a new FAQ, the developer clarified that Overwatch: Classic isn’t a separate game. It will be available in the Events Hub and Arcade mode, with the 21 original heroes playable in their original forms. Mercy’s classic Resurrect? Bastion remaining stationary in turret mode? It’s all here.
The first few days lack any hero or role limits, after which single hero limits will be employed. Such is the commitment to the original experience that the original four roles (Defense, Offense, Tanks, and Supports) are present.
Of course, this isn’t exactly like the hero shooter’s 2016 launch. Though the original 12 maps are present, any reworks will still apply. You also can’t equip other skins besides the defaults, and features like loot boxes, the original Competitive Mode, etc, are absent.
Blizzard noted this to be the “first” Overwatch: Classic event, with others focusing on popular metas like triple-tank/triple-support and the Moth meta following Mercy’s first rework. Perhaps these subsequent versions will go live in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates on that in the meantime.