Now that Overwatch 2 has come and replaced the original, as well as breaking down the barrier to entry by becoming free-to-play, more people than ever are getting to know the unique style of hero shooter that this series helped popularize. While this is technically a sequel and does mix up the formula in some big ways, at the core, this is still a team-based competitive shooter.
However, everyone who is eager to gather their friends and get into the heat of some serious battles will instantly realize that Overwatch 2's main competitive mode isn't available right away. The entire ranked mode is locked out until you meet certain requirements, though many people don't have a clue as to what those are. To make things simple and help you get into those serious ranked matches you're looking for, here's how to unlock the competitive mode in Overwatch 2.
How to unlock competitive mode
First, if you already owned and played the original Overwatch up to at least level 25, this mode will be available right from the start. The only people who need to go through some extra hoops to unlock it are those brand new to the Overwatch 2 experience.
Step 1: Start up Overwatch 2.
Step 2: Select Quick play and start playing matches.
Step 3: Once you win 50 matches, competitive mode will unlock.
Note that only Quick Match games that you win will count — Custom and Arcade games do not contribute toward your total. This barrier is meant to give new players a chance to learn the game before diving into the more hardcore modes.
