Blizzard stated “no intentions” for cross-platform play in Overwatch five years ago, warning that “mixing mouse/keyboard and the controller can have balanced and competitive concerns.” Two years later, opinions had altered slightly, and game director Jeff Kaplan stated that he was “hoping for more cross-platform options” to help “bring gamers together”—despite the fact that there had been no actual work on this front.
That will change very shortly. Blizzard announced today that a crossplay beta test for Overwatch will be available shortly, allowing players from all platforms—PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch—to link up and play together. To participate, download the most recent Battle.net update (or create an account if you don’t already have one), then go into the settings and link your console accounts. The upgrade also combined friends lists from multiple areas, allowing you to play with folks from all over the world without having to transfer areas first. (China, however, is exempt from this and will continue to be its own independent area.)
The Overwatch crossplay test announcement practically confirms that it will be a feature in Overwatch 2. Blizzard recently unveiled several significant PvP changes for Overwatch 2, including a drop-in match size from 6v6 to 5v5 and team composition limits, but crossplay compatibility has yet to be confirmed. We finally understand!
To commemorate the introduction of the crossplay beta, everyone who links their accounts and logs into Overwatch by the end of the year will get a Golden Loot Box. A release date has not yet been established, but you can learn more about Overwatch crossplay via the Overwatch crossplay FAQ.
