Overwatch 2's launch problems abound! The highly-anticipated game's release has been an undeniable mess, with many players having trouble accessing the game. Blizzard Entertainment is suffering at the hands of multiple DDoS attacks, which is likely why it's so difficult to get into.
However, these issues go beyond waiting in an eternal queue time, and some are even intrinsically linked to controversial features that make Overwatch 2 different from its predecessor.
Overwatch 2 log-in issues
If you try to launch Overwatch 2 right now, there's a good chance you won't get in. Many users have been suffering a bug that shows them within a certain place in the queue, and when they get close to finally making it to the top of that queue, they're abruptly pushed back thousands of spots in that queue. There's a chance you actually will get in, but from the many times I've tried to launch the game, I've only managed to get past the log-in screen once. People are starting to believe the queue is either completely bugged or just doesn't mean anything.
Another Overwatch 2 bug is that players are getting abruptly disconnected while in game. Even if they're playing in the middle of a match, they'll be completely booted back to the log-in screen and there's nothing they can do about it. This is likely directly related to Blizzard Entertainment's DDoS issue, as the company's servers are being attacked by hackers at the moment.
Overwatch 2 missing heroes and currency
Assuming you can get into Overwatch 2, the game's issues go well beyond log-in woes at the moment. When I did finally get into the game after multiple attempts, I noticed that a vast majority of my heroes were unavailable to play. They were locked and I had to "earn" them. This is a result of a new system that Overwatch 2 has introduced called "Hero Challenges."
It's apparently "designed for new players" to give them a better sense of how each hero works before allowing them to pick from every one of them. Essentially, you have to play up to 150 games to unlock every hero that was available in the original game. Oh, but guess what, those who purchase Overwatch 2's $40 edition can completely bypass this system. So no, it was never about quality of life, it's just another way to make money.
Worst of all? Players who have played Overwatch before and are clearly not beginners are suffering from this system. I'm one of them: I launched Overwatch 2 last night with 300 hours played on the original game, and I couldn't play any of my mains. Most characters were locked to me and I could not pick D.va, Hanzo or Zenyatta, which are my favorite characters. Not only is this system a controversial nightmare, but it's also hindering veteran players.
Some players have also found that they are missing skins, coins and other cosmetics. To be clear, your legacy Overwatch coins aren't directly transferring into the game's new currency. You can use those coins to purchase certain older skins, but it's mostly off limits.
These in-game issues can be remedied by relaunching the game, but that's pretty risky considering the queue time problems. Good luck out there!
