‘Overwatch’ Competitive Play available now on PC, ‘coming soon’ to consoles

By Gabe Gurwin June 29, 2016

overwatch new support hero overwatchhanzo

Overwatch has become nothing short of a phenomenon in the last month, with its simple, addictive structure leading to astronomical player counts and glowing reviews. But if you’ve been looking for a bit more of a challenge– and don’t just throw down a turret as Torbjörn and walk away — you’ll want to check out the new Competitive Play option. If you’re on a PC, you can do it right now.

Competitive Play, which Blizzard says is “coming soon” to consoles, as well, is automatically unlocked once you reach level 25; for new players, this should only take a few days, giving you a chance to practice your best Genji moves before jumping into the “big show.” Similar to Hearthstone, you’ll be given a skill rating based on your performance, though it’s unclear whether you will be matched with players of similar skill level in Competitive Play.

Related: How to win with Tracer in Overwatch

But the risk-reward draw of a skill system isn’t the only change coming with Competitive Play. Game modes are being adjusted, as well. “Control” maps, which are typically “best of three” will be “best of five.”

“Escort” and “Assault” maps have seen more radical changes — instead of just winning or losing a match while on the attacking or defending team, these matches will see you playing one round of each, with points awarded for reaching checkpoints and capturing objectives, regardless of whether or not you win the round. After two rounds, the team with the most points is the winner.

Naturally, plenty of cosmetic goodies are coming with Competitive Play. Finish 10 matches in Competitive Play during a season to receive a new spray and player icon, and spend the new “competitive points” currency to unlock gold versions of weapons.

To get you ready for the Competitive Play season, be sure to check out our guides on characters like Soldier: 76 and Hanzo.

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A player stands up against a wall in a The Finals screenshot.

While I enjoy playing first-person shooters occasionally, it's a genre I've struggled to become a hardcore fan of. To me, it has stagnated, with recent Call of Duty and Battlefield games feeling like little more than rehashes of the same quick-kill-focused gameplay on maps that all blend together after a while. That's why The Finals' longer time-to-kill, unique match objectives, and focus on level destruction all feel like a breath of fresh air.
THE FINALS Closed Beta Trailer
Developed by Embark Studios, the new multiplayer shooter is a notable change of pace for a stagnating genre. Because it takes a lot of effort to defeat an opponent, and the map is continuously changing as you do so, no two matches feel quite the same. I can attest to that, as I recently went hands-on with it and had that exact experience. Lots of thrilling, emergent moments organically happened during each match, leading to some of the most memorable matches I've had playing a first-person shooter in years.
If you've always enjoyed destructible environments in your FPS games and enjoy inventive competitive shooters that aren't just trying to chase what is popular, then you'll want to check out The Finals.
Map mayhem
The Finals' primary mode, Extraction, is framed as a game show where four teams compete to earn the most money during a match. Players do this by locating vaults on a map, obtaining cash boxes, and delivering them to a cash-out station. Extra money is rewarded for kills and a team's total is halved if they are completely wiped. The basics of the FPS gameplay are approachable enough for anyone who has played a game in this genre before. That said, its longer time-to-kill also helps that mission and gives players time to appreciate just how reactive its world is.
In the Closed Beta preview build, I played on two maps based on Monaco and Seoul. Each contains points of interest connected by some indoor arenas and long outdoor corridors that you'd come to expect from an FPS map. But it only stays that way for a short time. As soon as explosives get involved, the map transforms as buildings crumble and the environment reacts to the players. It stays that way too, as developer Embark Studios' server-side technology tracks and accommodates any changes to the map.
Last year, the developers at Embark Studios told Digital Trends that they hope this technology would make other developers panic. While we don't think The Finals will go that far, it certainly handles destruction better than other games that have tried to boast similar strengths, like Crackdown 3 or Battlefield 2042. It's not only a neat technical feat, but it also opens up many organic situations you don't get in other FPS games.

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Leaving your mark
The Finals' destruction creates some compelling dynamics, making the player feel like they are shaping the world that each match takes place in. Players can customize their characters with outfits and special loadouts ahead of matches, and some of these options allow them to set down jump pads and ziplines or use a grappling hook to improve mobility. Turrets, barriers, and mines are also equippable, which can be used to direct the flow of battle and herd opponents into certain sections of the map. One particularly memorable moment saw my team calling two elevators in Seoul, only to find that another team had put a turret in one and all of themselves in another.