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Despite the frequent criticism Blizzard regularly receives, Overwatch 2 is still extremely popular thanks to frequent updates and new content. A new OW2 chapter comes out tomorrow, and it is set to add a lot of additions for players to enjoy. Here is the Overwatch 2 Season 12 release date and expected start time countdown along with the new hero, unique maps, and more.
There is a lot to anticipate for the future of OW2. Although we don’t know exactly when, Blizzard has confirmed they are reintroducing “different forms of 6v6” sometime in the future as part of tests. In addition, there’s a host of quality-of-life changes fans are waiting for Blizzard to finally introduce.
While we cannot wait for 6v6 to make its comeback in Overwatch 2, tomorrow we are getting the launch of a new chapter. The Season 12 release date and start time countdown is nearly over, and it is introducing a new hero and a couple of new battlefields.
Overwatch 2 Season 12 release date
The release date for Overwatch 2 Season 12 is August 20th. This is confirmed by Blizzard on the official PlayOverwatch Twitter account.
In addition to a new hero and couple of new maps, the upcoming OW2 chapter is also providing competitive updates. Blizzard are introducing an “avoid list” for up to 15 players, and they are also introducing a new Competitive event called Drive.
The Drive event won’t be available right away, but it “will start near the end of the season and take place over a weekend”. As for how the event will work, Blizzard has provided the following overview:
“When you win matches, you’ll earn Drive Score and progress toward the next Checkpoint. Each Checkpoint has a reward! Some are big payouts of Competitive Points, but the others are an all-new type of reward for Overwatch 2 that we call Signatures. They frame your BattleTag with a unique visual backing that will make your accomplishments stand out until our next Drive.”
When does Overwatch 2 Season 12 come out?
The expected release time for when Overwatch 2 Season 12 will come out and start is 11AM PT/2PM ET/ 7PM BST on August 20th.
Blizzard hasn’t shared the official launch hours, but this is when new chapters and events typically begin in Blizzard’s multiplayer shooter. Coming out tomorrow, its release clashes with the start date for Gamescom 2024 with its Opening Night Live show set to be hosted by Geoff Keighley.
Expected Overwatch 2 Season 12 release time US
- 11AM PT on Tuesday, August 20th
- 2PM ET on Tuesday, August 20th
Expected Overwatch 2 Season 12 start time UK
- 7PM BST on Tuesday, August 20th
Countdown
Below is a countdown to the expected start time for the new chapter:
New OW2 hero
One of the most expecting aspects of the upcoming chapter is the new OW2 hero, Juno. Per Blizzard, “Juno will be available for everyone when Season 12 launches, and you’ll be able to queue up and play her in Competitive Play”.
Below are her skills and abilities:
Weapons and Ultimate:
- MEDIBLASTER – PRIMARY FIRE
- Burst fire weapon that heals allies and damages enemies.
- PULSAR TORPEDOES – SECONDARY FIRE
- Press Secondary Fire to lock on, then Primary Fire to fire homing projectiles. Heals allies over time and damages enemies.
- ORBITAL RAY – ULTIMATE
- Call down a ray that travels forward, healing allies and increasing their damage.
Abilities:
- GLIDE BOOST
- Glide horizontally with increased movement speed.
- HYPER RING
- Deploy a ring that increases movement speed of allies that pass through it.
- PASSIVE: MARTIAN OVERBOOTS
- While airborne, press Jump to double jump and hold Jump to hover.
New OW2 maps
In addition to the new hero, Juno, the upcoming OW2 chapter is introducing two new maps. One of them is in ancient Egypt, and it encourages players to “discover the dangerous AI that caused the Omnic Crisis, sealed away in Throne of Anubis”.
The second map is in Hanaoka, and players will be able to “discover new secrets of Shimada Castle”. This map is inspired by the “stunning aesthetics of the beloved Hanamura era”.
As if two new maps and a new playable hero wasn’t enough, Overwatch 2 Season 12 is also introducing a new game mode called Clash. This is an “adrenaline-pumping game mode that pits teams against each other in a relentless battle for dominance over multiple capture points”.
Clash has “dynamic spawns and streamlined map routes, heroes can spend more time in the heat of battle and less time running back to the front lines,” and it “guarantees fast-paced, strategic gameplay, offering new challenges and opportunities for glory”.
Check out Blizzard’s Embark on an Out of This World Voyage overview for more details about Season 12 including the battle pass and skins.
In other gaming news, the release time for Black Myth Wukong is nearly over, and August is also home to the release date for Star Wars Outlaws.
About the Author
Overwatch 2
- Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Action, Shooter
