Skip to main content

Blizzard unveils new Oasis map, now available to all ‘Overwatch’ players

[NOW AVAILABLE] Oasis | New Map Preview | Overwatch
A new map has been added to Overwatch, having previously been announced at Blizzard’s BlizzCon event in November 2016. Oasis is set in a location that’s brand new to the game, taking players to a luxurious city situated among the sands of the Arabian Desert.

PC players have been able to access Oasis for the past few weeks via the public test realm. However, players across all platforms will now see the map added to competitive playlists thanks to an update that was released yesterday, according to a report from Polygon.

In Overwatch lore, the city that the Oasis map is based in and around was the product of some of the region’s greatest researchers and academics converging in one place. They decided to found a city that was committed to “scientific progress without restraints,” which explains why the place is so high-tech, even compared to other locations in the game’s near-future setting.

One example of this technological superiority is the floating and flying vehicles that can be found in various areas of the map. These vehicles aren’t entirely decorative — walk into their path and they’ll do some serious damage, so it’s well worth sticking to pedestrian areas whenever possible.

Oasis also differentiates itself from other maps by the inclusion of jump pads, previously seen as part of the Lúcioball brawl that was available during the Summer Games event that took place last summer. These pads allow players to jump higher than normal, which can open up a new set of strategies to quick-witted combatants.

After months of rumors and speculation, Blizzard recently added hacker character Sombra to the game, having teased her existence endlessly in the first six months the game was available. It remains to be seen whether or not the Oasis map features any hints toward the new characters the studio is apparently working on.

Editors' Recommendations

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
Overwatch 2 removes Mei for at least 2 weeks due to ice wall exploit
Overwatch movie

Blizzard confirmed that it is temporarily removing Mei from Overwatch 2 until November 15 due to a bug discovered related to her Ice Wall ability.

https://twitter.com/BlizzardCS/status/1587189209844125696

Read more
Overwatch 2’s item prices are the scariest part of its Halloween event
Overwatch 2's Witch Kiriko posing with a broom.

Like many live-service games, Overwatch 2 is dressing up for the holidays. Special events tied to real holidays are common today, as they can bring some fun, limited-time flair to a game. This month, plenty of games are going orange and black for the season, bringing pumpkin spice and scares into players' favorite experiences. It's a cause for celebration, especially for those who particularly vibe with the whole October spooky season aesthetic.

Overwatch 2 Halloween Terror Seasonal Event Trailer 2022

Read more
Bastion and Torbjörn temporarily removed from Overwatch 2 due to exploits
Bastion and Torbjorn sitting in the workshop in Overwatch 2.

As if the already troubled launch of Overwatch 2 wasn't stressful enough, Blizzard has temporarily removed Bastion and Torbjörn from the hero roster for emergency maintenance on the serious glitches they've been causing.

According to a post made on the Overwatch Twitter account and in the status update last night, Bastion has been completely disabled from the game while Torbjörn has been removed from every game mode except Quick Play. "Both of these heroes are experiencing bugs that heavily impact gameplay, and we’ll share an update on them soon," Blizzard said.

Read more