Overwatch 2 Season 17 arrives this summer and features two new maps, unranked crossplay, Stadium updates, and more.
Despite Marvel Rivals posing a significant threat in the hero shooter genre, Overwatch 2 still has a massive fan base, and Blizzard has plenty of exciting content planned, including an ambitious crossover event with Street Fighter.
In addition, Blizzard got ahead of any leaks by providing fans with a roadmap for the next few seasons.
Overwatch 2 Season 17 Expected Release Date
New Overwatch 2 seasons typically start immediately when the previous one ends, so we expect Season 17 to begin on June 24.
For reference, Overwatch Season 16 started on April 16 and ends on June 24.
Overwatch 2 Season 17 Possible Start Time
We expect Overwatch 2 Season 17 to start around 11 AM PT / 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET / 6 PM BST.
This is based on the start time for previous seasons, but it is always subject to change due to server maintenance or other unexpected circumstances.
Everything Revealed For Overwatch 2 Season 17
On May 1, Blizzard shared a blog previewing content for Seasons 17, 18, 19, and beyond.
Here is everything revealed so far.
Two New Stadium Maps
Esperanca (Push) and Samoa (Control) are coming as Stadium maps in Season 17.
Blizzard initially introduced Esperanca in October 2022. The map is set in a coastal Portuguese city and features several iconic landmarks from the country, including Porto’s Clerigos Tower and Lisbon’s Saint George’s Castle.
Meanwhile, Samoa launched in October 2023, and maps flowed from a beach to a city, into a volcano to finish it off.
Heroes Coming to Stadium
Junkrat, Sigma, and Zenyatta are all getting added to the Stadium hero pool. Here is a look at the current options.
Tank
- D.Va
- Junker Queen
- Orisa
- Reinhardt
- Zarya
Damage
- Ashe
- Cassidy
- Genji
- Mei
- Reaper
- Soldier: 76
- Freja
Support
- Ana
- Juno
- Kiriko
- Lucio
- Mercy
- Moira
Other New Additions
Here is a list of other notable changes that are coming.
- Unranked: Crossplay
- Share and save your builds
- New All-Star rewards
- Custom Games
- More example builds
Blizzard revealed, ” In Season 17, we’ll be releasing a build importer and exporter. This will not only allow players to put together builds outside of a Stadium match and then select them inside a match, it will also allow players to select from community builds as well.”
The development team also acknowledged that it’s frustrating that PC and console players can’t play together in Stadium. So in response, Blizzard is investigating a way to introduce a casual version of the game mode so friends can play together even if they aren’t on the same platform.
In other gaming news, Activision wants to take down the Cronus Zen manufacturer, Xbox Game Pass didn’t help Call of Duty’s player count, and Fallout Season 2 has officially wrapped production.
What do you want to see in Overwatch 2 Season 17? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Forums.
