Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload – How do you pre-download the latest season?

Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload – How do you pre-download the latest season?
Finlay Cattanach Updated on by

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It’s Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload time. With Season 8 of Blizzard Entertainment’s ever-popular PvP shooter right around the corner, plenty of players will want to skip the tedious wait for a new season’s download and get into the good stuff. If that’s you, then you’re in the right place.

Here, we’re going to quickly walk you through the Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload, how to do it, and when you can start it. Be sure to wrap up any lingering threads before the Season 7 end time and prepare for the brand new Season 8 Hero Mauga, because Call of The Hunt is imminent.

Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload - How do you pre-download the latest season: A group of heroes stand and sit on a ledge, watching an ongoing fight.
Image by Blizzard

How to pre-download Season 8 of Overwatch 2

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow in order to preload Overwatch 2 Season 8. This process should be roughly the same for PC and console.

  • Launch your client or platform for Overwatch, and log into your Blizzard.net account.
  • Head to the Games section of the client.
  • Select Overwatch, then navigate to the bottom left of the screen.
  • A prompt to download pre-release content will come up. Click this.
  • Wait for the download to complete. Once the season is live, hit the play button and dive in.

This will download all the pre-launch content for you, drastically shortening the wait time once Season 8 goes live. Consequently, you’ll gain almost instant access to the game’s servers when you launch it after the update. Even better, the update isn’t all too big, with Blizzard Confirming it falls in-line with previous seasons at around the 3.5 GB mark.

Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload - How do you pre-download the latest season: Mauga lands, sending out a fiery shockwave that knocks over two nearby opposing heroes.
Image by Blizzard

Preloading content like this is a generally advised idea, even when the update itself might be relatively small. This is simply because the servers tend to struggle with high player numbers at the start of a new season. By preloading, you can get ahead of the queue, saving you more time than the actual download may have taken. This way you’ll be able to get back into game and try out the new heroes, mythic skins, and other December offerings right as they debut.

That covers how to sort out your Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload. There’s a lot more to look forward to in the new season though. Between new holiday events not unlike the Halloween event, and a new battle pass with fresh cosmetics to replace the spent season 7 battle pass, now is a great time to jump into the game.

Overwatch 2 Season 8 preload FAQ

Is the Overwatch 2 Season 8 update large?

No, the update itself is relatively modest, at an estimated 3.5 GB.

When can you pre-download Overwatch 2 Season 8?

You can pre-download Overwatch 2 Season 8 any time from now until the Season 8 start time.