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Overwatch 2’s beta is finally upon us as of April 26, and it runs until May 17. Viewers lucky enough to have watched the game on Twitch on April 27 and gained entry into the beta can get started as soon as their key is used.
Thankfully, that won’t be the first and last wave of beta keys released for Blizzard’s new title. A second wave of beta keys is being released by the Overwatch League (otherwise known as ‘OWL’) via broadcast through YouTube. That means another chance at playing the new hero, Sojourn.
To celebrate Season 5, as many as 1,500 beta keys to Overwatch 2 will be given out during select matches every hour.
How and when to claim Overwatch 2 in May 2022, during OWL’s opening weekend
Viewers who haven’t already opted into the beta should do so now on the official Overwatch website and attempt to claim a beta key during the opening weekend of the Overwatch League. Here are the eligible matches:
- Los Angeles Gladiators vs. New York Excel: May 5 at noon PT (Pacific)
- Vancouver Titans vs. Boston Uprising: May 6 at 1:30 pm PT (Pacific)
- Washington Justice vs. Toronto Defiant: May 7 at noon PT (Pacific)
- Florida Mayhem vs. Paris Eternal: May 8 at 1:30 pm PT (Pacific)
Viewers have to watch for at least 1 hour to earn a chance at obtaining a beta key. It isn’t guaranteed, though each hour will release 1,500 keys. The best strategy is to watch every livestream, if possible.
However, to be eligible to claim a key, viewers will have to:
- Watch the Overwatch League stream on YouTube (via PC, YouTube app, or YouTube mobile website)
- Link YouTube account to Blizzard account.
To link a YouTube account to a Blizzard Account, users can follow these steps:
- Step 1: Log in to YouTube and click on the profile icon in the top-right. Choose Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Step 2: On the left-hand side, select Connected Apps.
- Step 3: Locate Battle.net amongst the list and choose CONNECT.
Unfortunately, only PC players can gain access to the Overwatch 2 beta at this time. Console users will have to wait until Blizzard opens beta on consoles.
A copy of Overwatch will be needed to access the Overwatch 2 beta. However, Blizzard has a free trial for gamers to download.
