Overwatch 2 Antarctic Peninsula map: Release date, best heroes, and more

Overwatch 2 will receive a load of playable content with the Season 3 update, which is scheduled for February 7. The third seasonal update will introduce a new map called the Antarctic Peninsula. This is the first map addition implemented after the publisher switched to a 5v5 match format.

The Antarctic Peninsula map will reportedly provide a glimpse of Mei’s past and showcase the workstations of the entire team. Arriving for the Control game mode, it will contain three points of interest (POIs). The entire map offers a frozen wasteland with a few interactive and fun non-playable characters (NPCs).

Let us take a deeper dive and figure out the best heroes to play on the map alongside its various locations.

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Overwatch 2 Season 3 Antarctic Peninsula is a freezing new control map

Blizzard Entertainment released Overwatch 2 as a sequel to its 2016 hero-shooter title. It quickly took the spotlight and secured a massive player base. The publisher made a few balance changes to fit the Heroes and previous maps into the 5v5 match format. Both the first and second seasonal updates introduced new heroes and expanded the collection of cosmetics.

The Season 3 update will switch up the pace and bring in a new map specifically designed with the format changes in mind.

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Release date

The Antarctic Peninsula map will go live along with the arrival of the third seasonal update on February 7. The exact timings for the update have not been disclosed yet, but fans can expect it to be around 11 am PST.

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Antarctic Peninsula

Blizzard has a storied history of surprising players with unique map designs and features. The cold map will take competitors on an icy adventure through different locations and underground tunnels. It will also feature penguins to maintain a friendly atmosphere.

As highlighted earlier, the map will be playable in the Control game mode and will feature a total of three POIs like Overwatch 2's Busan, Ilios, and Nepal. One of the locations is Mei’s lab, where the entire team worked and continued their research. The second control point is on the shipwreck sent to rescue Mei and her team. The final location is underground near a massive drill that has created a complete network of tunnels.

All the locations in the new Overwatch 2 map will provide some insight into Mei’s research and backstory. The developers tested a few iterations of the map where the Antarctic Peninsula’s drill would be active and deal damage.

However, the environmental damage did not make it to the final version. The developers have also added a fishing feature to the map purely for entertainment.

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Best heroes on Antarctic Peninsula

The map will reportedly introduce several playstyles featuring different verticalities and difficult map structures over the control point. The map will feature a series of platforms and low ceilings at different control points, forcing players to secure height and maintain their objectives.

The Antarctic Peninsula is also quite covered and provides protection from flying Overwatch 2 heroes like Pharah. However, if teams opt for a surprise attack, the narrow spots might become a death trap. Here are a few heroes who can benefit from the Antarctic Peninsula’s design and prevail.

• Reinhardt: His shield is massive, but enemy heroes can utilize its height to attack the team with projectiles like Junkrat’s grenade launcher. The narrow points will be great for this Tank as he can also charge and pin down enemy heroes.
• Junkrat: Narrow corners and alleyways are any Junkrat’s best friend as they can pummel down grenades in these areas. Placing traps and using the ultimate will guarantee multiple kills.
• Mei: Mei is an adept damage hero who uses her dominion over ice to fight against her opponents. Her primary attack can be extremely effective in tight spaces when combined with her ice wall ability.
• Ana: Ana is a support sniper hero who can use her primary weapon to inflict anti-heal on enemy heroes. Her sleep dart and grenade ability can prove to be a handy tool while taking team fights.
• Ramattra: Ramattra’s Nemesis ability can be used to punch through shields and slow down enemies easily. His ultimate is a great combo tool that can be used with other hero ultimates to wipe out most of the enemy team.

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Overwatch 2’s Season 3 update can gain a lot of traction as the publisher is planning to introduce a wide variety of hero cosmetics and bundles. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for the latest updates and more details about the upcoming Overwatch 2 update.