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The beta for the upcoming team-based first person shooter Overwatch is almost here. On October 27th, you'll be able to step into the shoes of the hero of your choice, ready to defend your war-torn world in a time of global crisis. The primary goal of the beta, like most, is to gain feedback on the gameplay, such as things like balance, feel, and how enjoyable the overall experience is. The secondary goal for Blizzard is to stress test their server infrastructure to make sure the game runs great on the widest variety of systems possible.

To reach their goal, the players participating in the beta will be split into two different groups. Each group will have different mission objectives and deployment schedules. The first group, the Closed Beta group, will form the core of the testing crew. The second group will be the Public Beta group, which will be made up of a small number of testers who will have regular access to the public beta test. These groups will need to not only provide gameplay feedback, but will need to discuss every hero, map, ability, and every other aspect of the game to assist Blizzard in making Overwatch the best it can possibly be. In addition to this, Blizzard will be conducting a number of Beta Test Weekends with a wider group of players when the time calls for it. These will be brought online occasionally for a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, with the Beta Test Weekends primarily being focused on the hardware and tech, the number of heroes, maps, and gameplay modes will be restricted. The first Beta Test Weekend is currently planned to be released after BlizzCon, so stay tuned for more information following the event.

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The developers want the most constrictive feedback possible, due to this, the total number of players allowed to experience the Closed Beta will be limited. More people will be added as time goes on to make sure a good amount of gamers get to play the beta. The first phase of the Closed Beta will be launching October 27th in the gameplay region of the Americas. More people will be invited as they add new features that need to be tested. After the beta initially launches, Blizzard will start preparing for Europe and Asia to join the fight. With Europe coming first, and Asia coming after.

The Overwatch beta will be for Windows-only, and in addition to this, you’ll need to have the Battle.net desktop app installed to play. If you’re selected to participate in either the Closed Beta or one of the Beta Test Weekends, you’ll receive an email with instructions shortly before you’re deployed. Read this article to make sure your transmissions won’t get filtered, and don’t forget to opt in if you haven’t already. Are you excited for the Overwatch beta?

Overwatch Site