Correction: This story originally stated that Overwatch is entering an open beta. It’s entering a closed one.
Some of us won’t have to wait long to play Blizzard’s newest game.
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Blizzard notes on Battle.net that the closed beta will include a small amount of testers. Beta Test Weekends, however, will invite more players in order to stress-test the game’s servers. Blizzard also noted that the beta will work on Windows PCs.
Overwatch is Blizzard’s first new IP in a long time. For decades, the company has relied on its Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo franchises. Overwatch introduces a new universe with new characters.
We don’t currently know what kind of payment plan Overwatch will have, but Blizzard has had success lately with free-to-play models for Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm, a multiplayer online battle arena. Both games have become popular on livestreaming site Twitch and have growing esports communities — a goal the publisher likely has for Overwatch as well.