When does Overwatch 2 Season 8 start? The next Season is now live with Mauga and more!

The seasonal rotation of Overwatch 2 has rolled over every nine weeks like clockwork, and Season 8 is no different: Overwatch 2 Season 8 started on December 5, 2023, with a whole lot of new stuff to explore. Much of what we can expect was shown at BlizzCon, but other things — including the fun appearances on offer in the Battle Pass — are still yet to be discovered.

For many players, the appearance of new tank Hero Mauga is the headlining feature of Season 8. The new tank features an intriguing synergy between his two guns, with one lighting his target on fire, and the other doing extra damage to targets which are on fire. His Cage Match ultimate will be a powerful zoning tool. If you got a taste of his gameplay during the brief BlizzCon testing window and were somewhat unimpressed, know that Blizzard has since given him a small buff since then based on player feedback. They intend Mauga to feel powerful and menacing during his release window, so expect to be contending with him a lot, even if you aren’t a Tank player.

If you aren’t a Tank player and aren’t looking forward to being in a cage with the newly buffed Mauga, the new Clash game mode — and accompanying new maps — may pique your interest. This spiritual successor to the axed Assault map type is going to be in heavy rotation this season, so it may be worth taking it for a spin in the Arcade. In practice, this looks like it’ll play similarly to both the current Push mode, with both teams having to contest a point rather than just control and hold it, but also a slightly less random version of the Flashpoint game mode.

The first Clash map we’ll be playing on, Hanaoka, even features a lot of similarities to the retired Hanamura map, highlighting the similarity to the Assault map type.

Also coming in Season 8 is a new roster of Heroes available for play in Hero Mastery. This season you’ll be able to show off your skill as Mei, D.Va, Lucio, Genji, and Echo. Considering how crucial movement abilities were in previous Mastery challenges, it stands to reason that this slate of Heroes will also be in for a whole lot of ducking, dipping, and dodging — and Ice Walls, too.

Among the events taking place in Season 8 is the traditional Winter Wonderland event, and a Lunar New Year event kicking off January 30, featuring a return of the popular Prop Hunt mode. We’ll also be playing through a new Battle of the Beasts mode to kick off the season.

Season 8 of Overwatch 2 has a lot to offer every kind of player when it arrives December 5.

Originally written November 24, 2023; updated December 5, 2023