It's time to say our goodbyes to Overwatch. Blizzard has announced that the servers for the game will be shut down for good on October 2 in preparation for the sequel, Overwatch 2.

Jon Spector, commercial lead for Overwatch, stated that "roughly a day before Overwatch 2 launches, we're going to be taking down the Overwatch 1 servers. So that means, as a practical point, that October 2nd really is the last day to go in and play Overwatch 1." There will be a 27-hour downtime to give the Overwatch devs enough time to get the servers up and running. The downtime will also give players time to download Overwatch 2 ahead of the launch date. Players who already have Overwatch installed can update their game to the sequel.

According to Spector, Blizzard will share a launch checklist to ensure a smooth transition for the arrival of Overwatch 2.

What's in the Overwatch 2 battle pass?

Overwatch 2 will introduce major changes to the game. Loot boxes will no longer be available and the Battle Pass and an in-game store will be taking its place. Players can now directly purchase items they want from the store.

Loot boxes have been a controversial topic, especially in Europe where some countries have implemented rules to disallow their use. Blizzard is smart to err on the side of caution and go the battle pass route for Overwatch 2.

Speaking of, the Battle Pass for Overwatch 2 will have two levels: free and premium. In the Free Battle Pass, players can progress through the tiers to unlock items by simply playing the game. Each match will earn you XP points that count towards the Battle Pass progress. However, players have the option of purchasing a Premium Battle Pass for 1,000 Overwatch Coins, which is the equivalent of $10.

Players can earn Overwatch Coins by completing weekly in-game challenges. This means that players can grind Overwatch Coins to purchase the Premium Battle Pass before the end of the season to retroactively unlock all the premium content.

Unlocking Kiriko, Cyber Demon Genji Mythic Skin, and the Battle Pass Rewards

The Battle Pass has 80 tiers that players can progress through. Players who reach Tier 80 will be rewarded with the prestige tiers where they can earn new titles for their profiles. Kiriko can be unlocked by progressing to Tier 55 of the Free Battle Pass. Alternatively, purchasing the Premium Battle Pass will immediately unlock the support hero.

Overwatch 2 also introduces Mythic Skins which gives players the ability to customize how they look by mixing and matching layers, color schemes, and patterns. The first Mythic Skin in OW2 is called Cyber Demon Genji. The Mythic Skin is part of the Premium Battle Pass Rewards.

Overwatch 2 Mythic Cyber Demon Genji Skin 💎#Overwatch2 new skin tier Mythic skins are highly-customizable by the player. Mythic skins can be Season 1 unlocked with the Premium Battle Pass.

The Premium Battle Pass will cost 1000 Overwatch Coins (equivalent of $10 USD). pic.twitter.com/0nS08JVWM4

— Naeri X 나에리 (@OverwatchNaeri) September 15, 2022

There will be other items that can be unlocked through the Battle Pass. Here is a summary of rewards for the Free and Premium Battle Pass:

Season One Free Battle Pass Rewards:

• Kiriko
• 2 Legendary Skins
• 2 Weapon Charms
• 2 Souvenirs
• 1 Highlight Intro
• 15 additional items

 Season One Premium Battle Pass Rewards:

• Immediate access to Kiriko
• 20% XP Battle Pass Boost
• 1 Mythic Skin
• 5 Legendary Skins
• 1 Epic Skins
• 3 Play of the Game Intros
• 4 Weapon Charms
• 3 Emotes
• 3 Souvenirs
• 6 Poses
• 6 Name Cards
• 8 Player Icons
• 11 Voice Lines
• 12 Sprays

Players who purchase the Premium Battle mid-season will receive all the rewards that they previously missed.