14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer Blizzard is announcing that it is preparing to deliver a new weekend beta testing period for Overwatch and that it will open up access to the team shooter for a wider number of gamers in North and South America, Europe and Asia to stress test the infrastructure that supports the title.
Gamers who are invited to this beta period will be able to start playing on Friday, April 15, at 9 AM Pacific Daylight Time, and the action will come to a halt on Saturday, April 16, at 9 PM PDT, with the accounts of those taking part being flagged on April 14.
Blizzard explains on the official site, "During the Beta Test Weekend, all players (including those currently in the Closed Beta) will have access to the full roster of 21 heroes and a limited selection of maps: Hanamura, Route 66, and Nepal. Certain features will also be unavailable during this Beta Test Weekend including Weekly Brawl! and Competitive Play."
The studio wants all those who take part to offer technical feedback about Overwatch, with a focus on game performance, beta server experience, and any other problems that negatively affect the gameplay experience.
The company also encourages newcomers to first play through the Tutorial and the Practice Range and to have some practice against the AI before they jump into action against other humans.
Overwatch will also get an open beta weekend
This is the last time that Blizzard runs a closed testing period for its coming title, and the lessons it will learn will be used to improve the experience before anyone interested in its core mechanics is able to jump into the action between May 5 and 9.
Overwatch will be launched on May 24 on the PC, the Xbox One from Microsoft, and the PlayStation 4 from Sony.
Blizzard wants to deliver an interesting take on the team-focused shooter, with six-player teams that can play a variety of modes in some very cool environments, with more characters and more coming once the title is out.
The unique mechanic of Overwatch is that it allows players to switch from one hero to another once they die, which means that there's extra flexibility when it comes to tactical setup inside a team, and each player will be able to find a clear niche where they can perform at their best.