Summary
- Overwatch 2 will make its return to China on February 19 after a two-year absence, with a technical test beginning on January 8.
- Chinese players have missed out on 12 seasons of content.
- The first live Overwatch Championship Series event in 2025 will be held in Hangzhou, celebrating the game's successful return to China.
Overwatch 2 is set to make a triumphant return to China on February 19, following a technical test available to fans starting January 8. After over two years without access, Chinese players will finally have the opportunity to experience all the heroes, game modes, and other features from the 12 seasons they missed.
On January 24, 2023, the contract between Blizzard and NetEase expired, causing nearly every game developed by Blizzard, including Overwatch 2, to become unavailable in China. However, in April 2024, the two companies reconciled and began the process of bringing Blizzard games back to one of the world's most populous countries.
In a video shared by Walter Kong, the global general manager of the Overwatch franchise, Blizzard announced that Overwatch 2 would return to China on February 19, coinciding with the start of Overwatch 2 Season 15. Before the official launch, an open technical test will run from January 8 through January 15, allowing Chinese players to try out all 42 heroes, including the new tank Hazard from Season 14, and the classic 6v6 game mode.
Overwatch 2 Returns to China on February 19
Adding to the excitement, Overwatch esports will make a strong comeback in 2025 with the Overwatch Championship Series, featuring a dedicated China region. The first live event of the series will take place in Hangzhou, marking the game's successful return to China.
To highlight what Chinese fans have missed, their servers went offline during Overwatch 2 Season 2 when Ramattra was the newest hero. Since then, six new heroes have been added: Lifeweaver, Illari, Mauga, Venture, Juno, and Hazard. Additionally, new game modes like Flashpoint and Clash, maps such as Antarctic Peninsula, Samoa, and Runasapi, and the Invasion story missions were all released post-shutdown, along with numerous hero reworks and balance adjustments, providing Chinese players with a lot to catch up on.
Unfortunately, the 2025 Lunar New Year event in Overwatch 2 is scheduled to end shortly before the game's return to China, meaning these fans might miss out on the event's new skins and the return of the Prop Hunt game mode. Hopefully, Overwatch 2 will organize a delayed version of the event so Chinese fans can celebrate their New Year in the game as they rejoin the world of Future Earth.
