Overwatch 2 Competitive: How to unlock Competitive and score Competitive Points
How Competitive works in Overwatch 2, and current known issues with the mode
Want to know how to play Competitive in Overwatch 2? Overwatch 2 features several game modes for you to choose from, but if you're specifically wanting to take part in ranked matches that pit you against players of a similar ability level, then Competitive is what you're looking for.
If you're wondering how to get into Overwatch 2 Competitive look no further, because on this page we've got details on how to unlock Competitive mode, how ranks and points work, and more!
How to unlock Competitive in Overwatch 2
To unlock Overwatch 2's Competitive mode, you need to win 50 games in Quick Play. You can track your progress by going to your Challenges menu and checking the Competitive tab.
Due to issues at launch, it's currently recommended that you only play unranked Quick Play matches if your main goal is to beeline towards unlocking Competitive. This is because other match types have been reportedly resetting that 50 win counter, along with your progress towards other challenges.
Overwatch 2 "complete Competitive Play challenge" issue explained
If you're a seasoned Overwatch 1 player who's recently launched Overwatch 2 and are trying to play in Competitive mode, you might have encountered the following message, apparently in error:
"Unavailable because one or more party members needs to complete the Competitive Play challenge."
Unfortunately, these seem to be the result of a bug that's been plaguing Overwatch 2's already quite glitchy launch, which is preventing ranked progress from carrying over even if your OW1 and OW2 accounts have been successfully linked. Sadly, there's no workaround; right now, it's a case of either waiting for a proper fix, or repeating the Competitive Play challenge (see below) to start this mode as if you were a new player.
Is crossplay enabled for Overwatch 2 Competitive?
Overwatch 2 features crossplay, but like its predecessor, this feature doesn't extend all the way to Competitive mode. For players on PC, this means that you can only play against other PC players in Competitive mode. Attempts to team up with a console-owning buddy for Competitive purposes will result in the following message:
"You and all members of your party must be in the same competitive pool."
In theory, there's one competitive pool for PCs and one for all consoles, meaning that players on consoles should be able to play with other console users regardless of their exact platform (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch).
However, there are reports that this error message is popping up when console players on different systems, or even different gens of the same system, attempt to buddy up. This is a problem carried over from OW1 and doesn't have a firm solution yet.
How to get Competitive Points
The main reward for taking part in Competitive ranked matches in Overwatch 2 is the possibility of earning Golden Weapons. Each Golden Weapon costs 3,000 Competitive Points, which are awarded in the following ways:
- 15 Competitive Points for winning any ranked Competitive match.
- 5 Competitive Points for drawing any ranked Competitive match.
There'll also be a big payout at the end of every nine-week Competitive season, which will vary depending on what rank you ended up in of the eight ranked tiers in Overwatch 2 Competitive:
- Bronze: worth 65 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Silver: worth 125 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Gold: worth 250 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Platinum: worth 500 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Diamond: worth 750 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Master: worth 1,200 Competitive Points at the end of the season
- Grand Master / Top 500: worth 1,750 Competitive Points at the end of the season
Clearly, collecting enough points to unlock a Golden Weapon in Overwatch 2 Competitive is no mean feat, especially for players who are struggling to get Competitive matches off the ground in the first place.
If you're keen to make a splash in Overwatch 2's Competitive mode, you'll need the best heroes available. Have a look at our Overwatch 2 tier list to find out which characters you want to focus on, as well as our guide to unlocking new characters in Overwatch 2.
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