With the switch from Overwatch to Overwatch 2, there were a lot of changes made to the game. Aside from the new content, such as heroes and game modes, the sequel's biggest change was going from a full-priced release to a free-to-play model and removal of loot boxes. These two changes alone created a massive shift in how Overwatch 2 would handle its cosmetics, new hero rollout, and progression. The system they chose to go with is the tried-and-true battle pass.
Just like any other battle pass, Overwatch 2's pass is a tier-based system where you will level up your pass, either paid or free, to earn specific rewards at different milestones. Your progress in the battle pass is determined by XP, which can be earned in many ways, though there are some that are far more lucrative than others. Considering you will need to level up quite a bit to reach hero unlocks, let alone the Mythic Skin waiting at the very end, you will want to know the fastest way to level up your battle pass in Overwatch 2.
Start with daily challenges
Challenges come in multiple tiers in Overwatch 2, with dailies being the quickest to complete and refresh. They aren't the highest payouts of the challenges, but when you consider that you can do them every day, they become essential for leveling up.
Step 1: Check your daily challenges.
Step 2: Find and focus on three that you can do in a day.
Step 3: You will earn 3,000 XP for each challenge you complete.
Step 4: There are six daily challenges available each day, but you only get the bonus XP for completing the first three.
Step 5: Wait for the challenges to reset and repeat.
Work at weekly challenges
The next tier up from daily challenges is the weekly challenges. These will require more commitment than dailies, such as winning 10 total matches or playing seven games as a hero outside of your top three most played. Another difference to note is that, so far, at least, weekly challenges do not rotate from week to week.
Step 1: Read all the weekly challenges.
Step 2: Try to maximize your time by combining challenges, such as playing a hero out of your top three in a specific playlist while trying to get 50 eliminations/assists with your ultimate.
Step 3: Every weekly challenge you finish earns 5,000 XP, meaning you can earn a maximum of 55,000 XP per week.
Step 4: As a bonus, you will also earn some Overwatch Coins for completing four, eight, and 11 weekly challenges. These won't help your battle pass level but are still nice extras for your trouble.
Keep track of your seasonal challenges
There are a ton of seasonal challenges in Overwatch 2, which makes sense since they're intended to take all season to work through. Unfortunately, they don't give as much XP as you might hope. They are also far more specific, often requiring the use of certain heroes or doing different things on a specific map, such as getting five eliminations from the balcony on the Maison Borsa on Circuit Royal or healing an injured ally after using Swift Step to move through a wall as Kiriko.
Step 1: Browse all the seasonal challenges.
Step 2: Do your daily and weekly challenges first.
Step 3: If you finish them all and want to continue playing, focus on playing as a specific hero first, then any map-specific tasks.
Step 4: Seasonal challenges either give 500 or 1,000 XP per challenge and can only be done once per season.
Make sure you've done your lifetime challenges
While these might sound like the most grindy, time-consuming challenges in Overwatch 2, they're actually more introductory challenges that you will do without even thinking about most of the time. They can be as simple as getting your first win as a Tank character or winning your first game in each game type, but they will never reset.
Step 1: Check all the lifetime challenges and look for the ones that award XP (many reward you with other things like icons or titles).
Step 2: Stack these challenges with others to knock them out efficiently.
Step 3: Lifetime challenges, when they do award XP, only give 500 but are so simple to do you might as well just knock them out.
Just play matches
It wouldn't be fair if you didn't earn at least some XP for just playing matches of Overwatch 2, now would it? This is a very minimal amount of XP, mind you, but it's at least worth being aware of.
Step 1: Load up any match of Overwatch 2.
Step 2: Earn 100 XP for finishing a match and 150 XP for winning.
Step 3: If you play multiple matches in a row, you will earn a bonus 100 XP per match.
Best ways to level up your battle pass fast
With all the different ways you can earn battle pass XP covered, here are a couple of tips to keep in mind when trying to blaze your way through the tiers as quickly as possible.
- Try and play every day for your daily challenges.
- Stack as many challenges and objectives as possible.
- Take advantage of any double XP events.
- Consider buying the Premium battle pass for the 20% XP boost.
- Don't burn yourself out grinding regular matches for XP (unless you're focused on having fun).
