When is the Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date? Season 6 is shaping up to be Overwatch 2’s best season yet, with several new features, modes, and updates to look forward to, including a new battle pass. Well, here’s everything you need to know about the Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date and roadmap, complete with all the new content.
Overwatch 2 is always changing and expanding, with new maps, Overwatch 2 game modes, and perhaps most importantly, new heroes. Most excitingly, Season 6 will come with both a new mode and a new hero, so it’s even more important to stay in the loop. Keep an eye out for the Overwatch 2 tier list of best heroes to get a better idea of who to use in all the new content.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date and time
The Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date is Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST, based on the active battle pass schedule and official confirmation from Blizzard. This comes alongside the Invasion update PvE mode.
This makes Season 5 the shortest season so far, with Season 6 launching almost a week earlier than usual. However, with all the new content on the way, it’s no surprise that Blizzard want to get it out in front of the players, especially as attitudes towards the game have been increasingly negative.
Interestingly, the Overwatch 2 Season 6 update also coincides with the Invasion update, which adds PvE story missions for the first time outside of events. So not only will we be getting a new battle pass, hero, mode, and maps, but also the landmark release over Overwatch 2’s PvE experience at long last.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 start time
The Overwatch 2 Season 6 start time for each region is:
- 12pm PDT – Thursday, August 10, 2023 in the US
- 3pm EDT – Thursday, August 10, 2023 in the US
- 8pm BST – Thursday, August 10, 2023 in the UK
- 9pm CEST – Thursday, August 10, 2023 in Europe
- 4am JST – Friday, August 11, 2023 in Japan
Overwatch 2 Illari
Overwatch 2’s Illari is the new Season 6 hero belonging to the Support class, following on from Lifeweaver who arrived in Season 4.
While Illari’s abilities are yet to be revealed, the gameplay we’ve seen paints her as a mobile healer that cover hover, setup healing turrets, and fire a solar bomb that damages and weakens opponents.
Evidently, Illari follows in the same vein as Moira and Zenyatta, that being a fine balance between damage and healing that makes them a more offensive Support hero.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 roadmap
The Overwatch 2 Season 6 roadmap features:
- Illari – new Support hero
- Flashpoint – new core mode
- Survasa – new Flashpoint map
- New Junk City – new Flashpoint map
- Invasion story missions – Resistance, Liberation, Ironclad
- Hero Mastery missions
- Invasion Battle Pass
- New player progression systems
- Overwatch 2 Anniversary Event – Tuesday, September 19, 2023
As you can see, the Overwatch 2 roadmap for Season 6 is stacked with new content, features, and updates.
Most importantly for the majority of players is a new hero – Illari – and the new Flashpoint mode which comes with two brand-new maps. However, there’s also a new player progression system that lets players level up heroes that will be great for traditional PvP fans.
On the other hand, there’s the debut of the Invasion PvE story missions and Hero Mastery challenges. These are great new additions that finally expand Overwatch into the PvE realm, as fans have been clamoring for since release.
To wrap things up, there’s also a new Battle Pass featuring new cosmetics, emotes, highlight intros and more, topped off with the Season 6 Mythic skin, Null Sector Ana.
Beginning on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, we’ll also be able to dive into the Overwatch 2 Anniversary event to celebrate another year of our favorite game. With limited-time modes and new cosmetics, there’s plenty to look forward to.
Overwatch 2 Flashpoint
Flashpoint is a new core PvP game mode coming in Overwatch 2 Season 6, arriving with two new maps – New Junk City and Suravasa.
Flashpoint is a king-of-the-hill style mode that invokes the intense action of Control (1cp) and the now-removed Assault (2cp) into a fresh new mode.
In Flashpoint, teams will be competing over a single capture point to be the first to score three points. Capture points will move to different areas of the map once captured, requiring teams to fight over a different area of the map.
These Flashpoint maps are also significantly bigger than any other PvP map players will be used to, so it could take some getting used to once the Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date arrives.
Besides the Season 6 reveal trailer, the official Overwatch 2 Twitter account also revealed gameplay of the new Suravasa map, one on the two Flashpoint maps that will be arriving with the update. Suravasa is the 43rd map added to the game and takes place in India, giving players a stunning and unique environment to compete in.
Likewise, Blizzard has also revealed some snippets of the New Junk City map. Continuing the unique design of the Junkertown map, New Junk City is a similarly dank, metal-clad environment that looks a blast to play on, especially given it’s for the new mode.
A short clip of Flashpoint, along with some background information on the mode, was shared in a Tweet by the official Overwatch account.
Overwatch 2 PvE Invasion Story Missions
Overwatch 2 Season 6 will also see the arrival of the first true Overwatch 2 PvE experience on August 10, 2023, known as Invasion Story Missions. These are co-op missions that will finally move the Overwatch story forward. These first three story missions, which are available from Season 6 onwards are:
- Resistance – Rio De Janeiro
- Liberation – Toronto
- Ironclad – Gothenburg
Taking place shortly after the Recall short, the Overwatch 2 PvE Invasion Story Missions see Null Sector back causing chaos and the Overwatch team are assembling once again to stop the rising threat. From the official trailer and livestream, it’s clear that the PvE missions will take place in heavily altered and expanded PvP maps, such as King’s Row.
With the Overwatch story finally being expanded upon, fans are likely excited to learn more about their favorite characters and their role in the fight against Null Sector. During the reveal livestream, developers discussed what you can expect from the PvE experience in Season 6.
Season 6 will also see the first five Hero Mastery missions. These are unique challenges for specific heroes, letting you rack up high-scores for completing a series of encounters that will put your skills to the test and teach you next ways to play.
Overwatch 2 Season 6 updates
Overwatch 2 Season 6 will also come with several other important updates and features, including Firing Range tweaks, a new player progression system, the Overwatch Anniversary event, and more. This was revealed in the Overwatch 2 roadmap for Season 5, 6, 7, and beyond.
The most exciting feature is the return of the progression system to Overwatch 2, though it takes a brand-new form. Overwatch 2 Season 6 adds a new progression system that tracks progress for individual heroes, each with their own levels and rewards. Rewards include badges and name cards that can be upgraded as you progress with each hero.
And that’s everything there is to know about the update ahead of the Overwatch 2 Season 6 release date. From a new hero – Illari – and mode, to the first true PvE experience, Season 6 could be the best yet, reinforcing why it’s one of the best competitive FPS games out right now.