Is Overwatch 2 competitive crossplay?

Can you play with friends on other platforms?

Junker Queen sharpens her axe inside a building.
Screengrab via Blizzard Entertainment

Crossplay is supported for much of Overwatch 2, but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to Competitive Mode. If you are a ranked player, things are a bit more complicated.

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Unifying the player base was one of Blizzard’s biggest focuses for Overwatch 2. Before the game’s launch, the developer announced an account merge process across platforms to support cross-progression. Players can crossplay with friends across platforms in Quick Play to their heart’s content.

The first Overwatch famously refused to allow PC and console players to coexist on the same server, thus splitting the two into different pools for matchmaking. Blizzard made a lot of changes to ranked play in Overwatch 2, which has raised new questions regarding crossplay.

Here’s everything you need to know about crossplay in Overwatch 2‘s Competitive mode.

Is Overwatch 2 competitive crossplay?

Photo of Overwatch 2 characters
Bad news. Image via Blizzard Entertainment

Overwatch 2’s Competitive mode does not support true crossplay. Like the first game, PC and console players are separated in ranked matches. PC players can only play with and against other PC players. Console players can play with and against any other console players.

Players who own a console can pair up to find out whether the Xbox or PlayStation reigns supreme, but the lonely PC player cannot play competitive games alongside or against their console brethren. Not even the game’s competitive rework in season nine changed the fact that competitive matchmaking between consoles and PC is prohibited.

As you might imagine, some players aren’t too thrilled about this.

Why doesn’t Overwatch 2 competitive have crossplay?

Photo of Overwatch 2 characters
There’s a reason for it. Image via Blizzard Entertainment

The last thing PC players want is to get absolutely decimated by a controller user with aim assist. On the flip side, controller users don’t want to get obliterated by a PC gamer with a mousepad.

PC players don’t have access to things like aim assist, and using a mouse provides a much more precise method of aiming, making it dramatically unfair in a competitive sense from both angles.

These restrictions, while frustrating, are there for a reason. Maintaining integrity in an esport like Overwatch 2 is integral to keeping the game competitive. Players shouldn’t have to play against someone who isn’t evenly matched.

How crossplay works in Overwatch 2

Screengrab from overwatch 2 featuring Doomfist, Winston, and Pharaoh in combat
It’s simple. Image via Blizzard Entertainment

If you want to play with friends across platforms, you’re better off playing Quick Play, which has no crossplay restrictions. Be warned, however, that this means you’ll be going up against console players using aim assist, which may or may not be to your disadvantage.

But keep in mind that console players can be at a disadvantage without aim assist. This was most likely Blizzard’s attempt at balancing matches more fairly to create equalized experiences. You won’t likely see a major difference in skill level.

To use Overwatch 2’s crossplay feature, you’ll have to:

  • Locate the Social Menu in Overwatch 2
  • Click “Add a Friend”
  • Type in their email address or battletag
  • Click submit and invite them once they’ve accepted
Tip: Extra Steps for permitting crossplay on Xbox

If you’re playing on Xbox, you might have to do some extra steps to permit crossplay from your Xbox console. You’ll have to head into your Account settings and modify your Xbox privacy settings to permit cross-network play between your console and other consoles and/or PCs.

Blizzard may add the feature in the future, but for now, you’ll need to switch platforms if you want to play Competitive with friends in the other pool.

Author
Image of Emily Morrow
Emily Morrow
Emily is a staff writer covering Apex Legends, Overwatch, Pokemon, and general gaming for Dot Esports. Her other bylines include Digital Trends, Screen Rant, and GameSpew. She also works as a narrative designer in games. Get in touch with her on Twitter @thepokeflute.
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Harrison Thomas
CS:GO, Overwatch, and Valorant Staff Writer - Played CS:GO since 2012 and keep a close eye on other titles. Give me a game and I'll write about it. Ranks are private information. Contact harry@dotesports.com
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Michael Dawson
Michael Dawson is a skilled writer on pop culture, video games, and film/TV. He has 8+ years of experience writing on various topics and for multiple publications.