Overwatch 2 is due to launch on October 4. When it does, the servers for Overwatch will be closed and players will be moved onto the new free-to-play hero shooter. Some players are starting to see “Lost Connection to Game Server” error messages before the launch of Overwatch 2, so does this mean Overwatch has shut down already?
When is the Overwatch server closure date?
The Overwatch game server is due to be shut down at 9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT on October 3. Players started receiving “Lost Connection to Game Server” around that time, which suggests the game’s servers closed for good at the time they should have done despite the developer previously announcing that these times might vary due to unforeseen circumstances. Blizzard will use the downtime in between the closure of Overwatch and the start of Overwatch 2 to make sure the latter’s launch goes smoothly.
The Overwatch 2 servers are due to go live at 12:00 PM PDT/3:00 PM EDT on October 4. PC players can already preload the game before its release tomorrow and the approximate file size is 50GB. To preload the game on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, players will need to have purchased the Overwatch 2 Watchpoint Pack or to have played Overwatch before the servers were turned off; these players can preload the game from 9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT on October 4. New console players will not be able to preload the game.