If you've never played Overwatch and are considering switching to Overwatch 2, you will have to work hard if you want to add heroes from the original game to your lineup.
In a blog post on the Overwatch website, Blizzard said that new players would need to play around 100 matches to unlock characters from the original game.
According to Blizzard, it's part of what it calls the First Time User Experience (FTUE), an introduction to Overwatch 2 specifically designed for brand new players.
The studio said it wants to introduce players to Overwatch 2 "more gradually" so they don't feel overwhelmed by the number of game modes and heroes.
To this end, new players will start the game with a limited selection of game modes, heroes, and other restrictions to "introduce them into the game more gradually." The first stage quickly unlocks all game modes and the ability to chat, and the second stage unlocks all original Overwatch heroes after about 100 matches.
“This focused experience makes it easier for new players to enter the world of Overwatch by teaching them the various modes, rules, and other high-level aspects of the game in an accessible way,” Blizzard said.
Most restrictions are removed when playing in a group, which allows new players to team up with friends at any time and play almost any game mode. Competitive mode is an exception to this rule, as new players must pass a certain challenge to gain access to it.
Blizzard has announced that the requirements to enter competitive mode in Overwatch 2 are changing. As the team is removing player levels in the game, instead of reaching a certain level, new players now need to win 50 Quick Play matches before Competitive Mode is unlocked.
This will give new players enough time to prepare for the "higher expectations that come with competitive mode" and prevent experienced players from feeling discouraged by their peers with less experience.
“While this process helps new players join in the fun, it is also an effective way to prevent disruptive behavior and cheating,” Blizzard said. “FTUE is an investment in completing the game as it takes time to unlock gameplay features. Competitions in particular cannot be accessed without winning matches. Disruptive players can't immediately impact the community, and things like voice chat and match chat are unlocked later in FTUE."
“Brand new accounts created by cheaters or rule-breaking players will be required to go through this experience, giving us the opportunity to identify suspicious accounts before they reach other game modes.”
The first user experience will only affect accounts created on or after October 4th release date.
Everyone who has played before, as well as owners of the Watchpoint Pack, will not have to go through the First Time User Experience.
