Which means if you own the game on PC you can check out the new Competitive Play mode today. Assuming of course you've hit Level 25. As Blizzard has been running PTR servers for a number of its games to give players a chance to check out new content patches early, it was only a matter of time before this was the case with Overwatch.

As per the patch notes, we've now got the official description for how the new mode works. Plus some rules and regulations. How official!

Once you hit level 25, you’ll have access to our newest feature: Competitive Play. This mode was designed to be a more serious experience, allowing players to hone their skills and perfect their strategies. But before diving into the fray, you’ll need to play 10 placement matches. These will allow our matchmaking system to gather enough information about your abilities to assign a skill rating.

With your newly acquired skill rating, you’ll be matched against players of a similar ability level. And if you play well and win games, the competition will become increasingly fierce throughout the two-and-a-half-month season. Plus, your performance will be rewarded with unique in-game items like sprays, player icons, and Competitive Points (which can be traded in for cosmetic Golden Weapons).

We’ve also made a number of changes to Overwatch's match format for Competitive Play. Some of these changes are simple interface changes, while others ensure that maps and modes don't favor one side or another—plus we’ve added a sudden death mechanic that ensures tied games are broken as fairly as possible.

Because Competitive Play is more serious in nature, we want to make sure that player behavior is acceptable. This means that the penalties are more severe than in the Quick Play or Weekly Brawl! modes. Leaving a game early or stepping away from your computer will make you ineligible to join a game until the previous game has ended, and continued infractions could result in restrictions or removal from Competitive Play.

You can check out the rest of the patch notes here. And speaking of Overwatch did you know that Blizzard partnered with Apparition Media to bring the entire cast of the game to life over 21 days in the form of a giant awesome mural? You didn't, well sit back and watch the art happen.



If you’re in Sydney be sure to check it out at 132 Foveaux St, Surry Hills before it’s goes bye bye on June 27. Leave it up I say. And if I were running for some sort of office and in the middle of an election cycle I'd make it one of my policies. Alongside a national free hugs for everyone program.