Mark your diary: Overwatch free weekend starts 9th September

If you haven’t had a chance to join the fight for the future in Overwatch, we’re excited to give you another shot — completely free! Assemble your friends and try out Blizzard‘s team-based shooter during the Overwatch free weekend, from 9th to 12th September on PlayStation 4!

The Overwatch free weekend will begin on 9th September at 7.00pm BST/8.00pm CET, and all PlayStation 4 players will be able to download the game and play free during this period—no sign-up or code required. Once you’ve escorted some payloads, captured some points, and scored a few Plays of the Game, the free weekend will conclude on Monday, 12th September at 12.00pm BST/1.00pm CET.

During the free weekend, we’re making Overwatch’s full roster of 22 heroes and every map available for play in a variety of modes, including Quick Play, Custom Games, and the latest Weekly Brawl. You’ll also be able to level up and earn Loot Boxes — and if you like what you play and decide to buy Overwatch: Origins Edition later, you’ll keep whatever progress you made during the Free Weekend.

Before you begin, you’ll first need to download Overwatch on your PlayStation 4. The Overwatch Free Weekend client will be available for download beginning at the designated launch times listed below starting on 9th September.

When the time comes, please follow the instructions below to install and play.

Step 1: Turn on your PlayStation 4 and log in to your preferred local user.
Step 2: Go to PlayStation Store and select “Search” from the top menu.
Step 3: In the search field, type in “Overwatch.”
Step 4: Select “Overwatch Free Weekend” from the search results and then click “Download.”
Step 5: Once the download and installation process is complete, click “Start” to begin!

To learn more about Overwatch, head over to www.playoverwatch.com, where you can read up on our lineup of heroes and learn more about the gameplay. We hope you’ll join us for the fun!

Overwatch free weekend FAQ

What game content will be available during the free weekend?
During the Free Weekend, players will have access to Overwatch’s full roster of heroes, maps, and a selection of features—including Quick Play, Custom Games, Loot Boxes, and Weekly Brawl. However, Competitive Play will not be available during the free weekend.

How many heroes are available in Overwatch?
There are 22 heroes available to play in Overwatch! To learn more about these heroes, click here.

How many maps are available in Overwatch?
There are four different game modes and 13 different maps available in Overwatch!

• Assault: Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, and Volskaya Industries
• Escort: Dorado, Route 66, and Watchpoint: Gibraltar
• Assault/Escort Hybrid: Eichenwalde, Hollywood, King’s Row, and Numbani
• Control: Ilios, Lijiang Tower, and Nepal

How many players does each mode support?
All game modes and maps support 12 players in a 6v6 format.

What different play modes are available in Overwatch during the free weekend?
There are a variety of ways to play Overwatch!

• Quick Play: Jump into a game against other players of similar skill.
• Play vs. AI: Hone your skills against a team of AI-controlled heroes.
• Custom Game: Customise the rules and play a game with your friends or AI.
• Weekly Brawl: Change things up with brawls featuring different rules sets and restrictions.
• Players can also learn the ropes in a series of training modes: Tutorial, Practice Range, and Practice vs. AI.

What’s the approximate download size of the free weekend client?
For PlayStation 4, the approximate download size is 15GB.

Do I need PlayStation Plus to participate in the free weekend?
PlayStation Plus is not required during the free weekend. However, PlayStation Plus will be required to play the full PlayStation 4 version of Overwatch: Origins Edition if you decide to purchase it after the free weekend ends.

What languages are supported in the free weekend?
The free weekend supports 13 languages: English, French, German, Castilian Spanish, Polish, Italian, Russian, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Japanese.

Will my progress from the free weekend carry over to the full version of the game?
Yes — any levels and rewards you earn, including skins and other items you get from Loot Boxes, will carry over to the full game if you purchase Overwatch: Origins Edition. Your stats will also be retained. However, trophies have been disabled for free weekend.

Will there be any sort of maintenance planned during the free weekend?
There’s no downtime or maintenance currently planned for the free weekend on any platform. If this plan changes at any point, we’ll be sure to provide information about major service interruptions in the official forums. For additional status updates, be sure to follow @PlayOverwatch on Twitter.