Overwatch 2 Season 5 is now live, with fantasy-themed skins and events to enjoy

Today marks the start of a new season in Overwatch 2, and the team is shaking up its usual approach to seasons with Season 5, which is live right now. For starters, there’s no new map this season. Blizzard had been alternating the release of a new map and a new hero since launch, but since the company is gearing up for the long-awaited appearance of PVE content later this year, it makes sense that Season 5 is all about laying some groundwork.

That’s not to say there isn’t new stuff for Season 5. The season’s theme is high fantasy, and the Battle Pass reflects that with new looks for Echo, Genji, and Reinhardt, as well as a knightly ensemble mythic skin for Tracer. But rather than waiting until the very end of the Battle Pass for the complete unlock, premium players will get elements of her swanky mythic skin at tiers 45, 65, and 80.

The theme is also reflected in some new game modes. First, Blizzard has created a D&D-inspired story mode called Questwatch. There are separate Key Quest challenges for you to complete for this more that will grant Battle Pass XP, and then at different points in the pass progression, you can unlock scenes from their campaign. A lot of the skins in the Battle Pass are tied to this tabletop story. This season also features the game’s first creator-made content, a mode called Defeat the Demon Lord made alongside Overwatch Workshop Creator CactusPuppy. It’s a 1v4 Team Deathmatch mode that’s all about taking down a fiery Reinhardt.

Summer Games is in fact making a resurgence, bringing both Lucioball and a new Winston’s Beach Volleyball modes to the Arcade. Completing Summer Games challenges will unlock a new Doomfist skin, and Mercy is one of the heroes who’ll have summery threads in the Shop during the event. This in-game event will kick off on July 11.

If you’re a fan of other online FPS games, you’ll also be amused to find that prop hunt is making its Overwatch 2 debut this season. Starting July 25, you can take part in this limited-time mode called Mischief and Magic, where one team has to disguise themselves as objects on a game map, and their opponents have to see through their ruse. It’s a goofy playstyle that could be an excellent match for Overwatch players who aren’t so concerned about only climbing the Competitive ranks.

This season will also have some hints about the big launch for Overwatch 2: Invasion, aka the arrival of PVE content. There will be a Sojourn short in the game client dropping on August 4 with some free unlocks for the soldier if you log in that day. PVE story missions will follow a little later, on August 10.

All in all, there’s a lot happening in Overwatch 2 for the summer season, and you can log on to enjoy the latest events right now.