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Overwatch Classic: Everything you need to know about the event

Nostalgia levels are high

Overwatch heroes running out of spawn on Gibraltar map
Credit: Blizzard Entertainment

Overwatch Classic is a new limited-time mode that will bring back all the original game settings and content. The mode will go live when the Season 13 mid-season patch drops.

With only a few hours left, we have gathered all the information you need to know about this event so you can prepare accordingly.

Release date and time

Overwatch Classic will go live on Tuesday, November 12 at 11:00 am PT (7:00 pm GMT), the same time the mid-season update goes live.

The mode will be available for three weeks, ending on Tuesday, December 3 at the same time.

Trailer

In case you haven't seen it or if you want to watch it again because of the hype, here is the event's trailer:

Heroes

The mode will only feature the 21 heroes that were available in the first game at launch, divided into the four original categories: Offense, Defense, Tank, and Support.

To refresh your mind, here is the list of heroes:

Overwatch Classic pirate ship strategy
  • Offensive Heroes
    • Cassidy
    • Genji
    • Pharah
    • Reaper
    • Soldier 76
    • Tracer
  • Defense Heroes
    • Bastion
    • Hanzo
    • Junkrat
    • Mei
    • Torbjörn
    • Widowmaker
  • Tank Heroes
    • D.Va
    • Reinhardt
    • Roadhog
    • Winston
    • Zarya
  • Support Heroes
    • Lúcio
    • Mercy
    • Symmetra
    • Zenyatta

All the heroes mentioned will have their original abilities, just like in patch 1.0. This goes from Bastion's original kit, where he could go turret mode and repair himself, to Mercy's original Ultimate Ressurection ability and Symmetra's original kit.

Skins won't be allowed in this mode, and all players will have the default Overwatch 1 skin on their selected hero.

Maps

The mode will also feature all the original maps, including all the 2CP maps. Here is the full list:

  • Assault (2CP)
    • Hanamura
    • Temple of Anubis
    • Volskaya Industries
  • Control
    • Ilios
    • Lijang Tower
    • Nepal
  • Escort
    • Dorado
    • Route 66
    • Watchpoint: Gibraltar
  • Hybrid
    • Hollywood
    • King's Row
    • Numbani

Even though the mode is a nostalgic trip to the past, certain maps won't look as they were when the game launched. These will retain their current design, which means maps like Dorado or Numbani will feature their recently reworked layout.

Ruleset and format

The mode will feature all the elements from patch 1.0 for the event's first few days. Games will have the original 6v6 format and be no-limit, meaning users won't have to stick to the 2-2-2 composition.

The no-limits rule will be removed a few days into the event, but a specific date hasn't been announced.

Some content creators like Flats also hinted that each week of the event will feature a different patch version, giving players the chance to experience popular metas from the first game.

Blizzard also confirmed that this is not the planned 6v6 test the developers have been talking about. A separate test is still in the works, and will most likely happen at some point during Season 14.

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