Overwatch 2 players access PvE areas after Blizzard open them early

Liam Mackay
King's Row map in Overwatch

Overwatch 2 is bringing a brand-new PvE story mode in 2023, but players have already managed to access the mode’s areas after Blizzard opened them up early.

Overwatch 2 brought plenty of major changes to Blizzard’s hero shooter, switching the format to 5v5, changing the Competitive mode, and of course, bringing new heroes to master. But one of the most major changes is still to come — PvE.

Overwatch 2’s PvE story mode is set to arrive in 2023, allowing players to delve deeper into the Overwatch universe through a story-driven campaign. The gameplay is set to be wave based on expanded versions of the multiplayer maps and players have found a way to access these areas after Blizzard opened them early.

Overwatch content creator ‘Squiggle’ discovered one of these expanded areas in the King’s Row map by loading into a private match. While some sections are incomplete, there’s a massive new area to explore with new streets and an underground subway section.

Although black walls hide some areas, the whole new section of King’s Row can be explored at your leisure. Plus, an Overwatch pro, ‘Pandamonium,’ discovered that Havana has a similar expanded area that can be accessed.

With the unfinished sections and the fact that they can only be accessed through private matches, it’s likely that players shouldn’t be able to access these areas yet. But, it gives a good look at where players will be fighting when the PvE mode drops next year.

How to access Overwatch 2 PvE areas

Players did manage to access these PvE areas in the beta through a glitch, but it’s much easier in Overwatch 2. So, if you’re looking to access these Overwatch 2 PvE areas early, here’s how:

  1. Launch Overwatch 2
  2. Create a custom game
  3. Select the Bounty Hunter mode
  4. Load into King’s Row or Havana
  5. Explore the newly opened areas on the maps

There might even be more maps that these areas have opened up on, but King’s Row and Havana are two that players have discovered so far.


For more on Overwatch 2, be sure to check out why players actually want loot boxes back, and how many have played the game since launch.

Image Credit: Blizzard