Overwatch 2 Anniversary 2023 event: Start & end date, game modes, more

Nathan Warby
Overwatch 2 anniversary 2023 logo

Blizzard have brought a special event for Overwatch 2’s first anniversary, but it encountered some technical issues just a few days before starting its final week. Here’s everything you should know about the Overwatch 2 Anniversary 2023 event.

Overwatch 2 has welcomed its first Anniversary event, where Blizzard have challenged players to earn rewards while completing iconic game modes. Along with returning modes, Overwatch 2’s anniversary finally introduced the PvE mode called Hero Mastery.

If you’re currently playing the Overwatch 2 Anniversary event, and you’re preparing for its final week, you can check out everything that’s been going on.

Why can’t I get Credits in Overwatch 2’s Anniversary event?

Executive Producer of Overwatch 2, Jared Neuss, confirmed that devs have disabled Credits granted from event challenges because of inconsistency issues with the delivery of these rewards.

Despite these problems, Blizzard announced that Credits will still be displayed as a reward for each of the Anniversary challenges.

With the Credits being disabled, to make up for this inconvenience, Overwatch 2 players will get 3,000 free Credits with the start of Overwatch 2 Season 7. The new season will begin right after the Anniversary event ends. We’ve listed all the important dates for Overwatch 2’s Anniversary event below.

Overwatch 2 Anniversary event start & end date

The Overwatch 2 Anniversary event began on Tuesday, September 19, and it will last for three weeks before coming to an end on Tuesday, October 10.

Overwatch 2 first launched on October 4, 2022, so the game’s official birthday will fall around the middle of the event. Only time will tell if the devs decide to celebrate the big day itself with a special content drop.

Overwatch 2 Anniversary event game modes

As part of the Overwatch 2 Anniversary event, three of the most popular game modes from the sequel’s first year are set to make a comeback. A familiar playlist will return every week before being replaced by another fan favorite seven days later.

Check out all the modes coming back in the Overwatch 2 Anniversary event below:

  • Winter in Wonderland and Battle for Olympus (Week 1)
  • Starwatch: Galactic Rescue, Catch-A-Mari, and Assault (Week 2)
  • Summer Games and Mischief and Magic (Week 3)

The first returning game mode will be the Winter Wonderland event, which will unlock Mei’s Snowball Offense (Elimination and Deathmatch versions), the 1v5 Yeti Hunt, and the Flash Freeze elimination mode. The Battle of Olympus is also available during Week 1, with both Free-For-All Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch game modes.

During the second anniversary week, Overwatch 2 players can enjoy the classic Overwatch Assault maps in Arcade, the chaotic Cath-A-Mari, and play the story of Starwatch: Galactic Rescue.

The last week of the Overwatch 2 Anniversary event will feature Summer Games event modes, including Lúcioball and Winston’s Beach Volleyball. For those who like the mechanic of a hide-and-seek mode, Blizzard will also be bringing back the Mischief & Magic modes, where Knight Genji chases Rogue Kiriko as she transforms into everyday objects.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our other Overwatch 2 guides:

Best Overwatch 2 PC settings | Overwatch 2 crossplay | Is Overwatch 2 free-to-play? | How to get Golden Guns in Overwatch 2 | Best Overwatch 2 Heroes | Who is the most popular Overwatch 2 Heroes | How to check your rank in Overwatch 2 | Is Overwatch 2 split-screen? | How to spectate matches in Overwatch 2

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About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer at CharlieIntel. He’s an expert in EA Sports FC, Call of Duty, and Overwatch, as well as superhero games, including Marvel’s Spider-Man. With a master's degree in Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University, he worked as a Trainee Reporter for Derbyshire Live before moving into games media, with bylines at Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, and more. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].