Blizzard has revealed details on how account merging will work when we move to Overwatch 2.
Believe it or not, we’re on the right track to the release of Overwatch 2. Ahead of the sequel’s October 4 launch – and Blizzard is all moving overwatch players across it – Team 4 has revealed an important piece of the puzzle: how accounts merge and cross-progress work.
It doesn’t matter what platform you play on Overwatch 2 enabled, you need a Battle.net account. When Overwatch 2 is launched, you can merge your PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch accounts and have one profile for all of these accounts. This will give you access to all the cosmetics (skins, voice lines and so on) that you have unlocked for the connected accounts.
You can also share Overwatch 2 progress across platforms. For example, if you play on both PC and Xbox, you can increase your battle pass on each of them.
From today, overwatch will ask you to select the accounts you want to merge and confirm when Overwatch 2 launches. If you do this now, you’ll be ready to rock and roll on October 4.
Console players will see a prompt when they log in to: overwatch. An account merge screen will show all your currently linked accounts. If you select the Switch Accounts option, you will see a QR code that you can scan with your phone. You can then enter a code displayed on your console to create a Battle.net account or link it to an existing one.
The next time you log in, you must confirm that the correct accounts are linked to start the merge process.
Note: If you have not verified your mobile number, you will be prompted to do so through an SMS authentication process. Blizzard requires: Overwatch 2 players need a mobile phone number to battle smurfs and cheaters during the free-to-play move.
You can also complete the account merging process on a PC via the Battle.net website, but you will still need a verified phone number. There is a help page with more information about linking console accounts to Battle.net.
Please note, because this part is extra important. You only have one option to fully merge accounts, so make sure you select the right one.
You can only merge one account per platform. I have multiple accounts on both PC and PlayStation (although I don’t really play overwatch on PS5 more), so I have to think carefully about which one I’m going to merge.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you can unlink a console account from Battle.net whenever you want. However, there is a one-year moratorium on linking new accounts to your Battle.net account.
After that time, when you link a new console account to Battle.net, you can access the progress and cosmetics stored on the latter. But the progress of the newly linked console account is not carried over.
Competitive game and skill ratings are still separated between PC and consoles. Merging multiple console accounts will keep the highest rank you have earned.
As for your stats, which are “separated by input pool”, per Team 4 – possibly referring to the use of a controller versus mouse and keyboard. When you merge multiple console accounts, values with a total (such as number of wins and eliminations and total playing time) are combined. “Best” stats, such as kill streaks or accuracy percentages, use the highest number of your different console accounts.
Likewise, your highest level of approval is used. You’ll see in-game achievements earned across platforms in your profile, but “console-specific achievements will remain on their respective platforms.”
The gameplay settings remain the same on each platform. You can access custom game options saved on each platform, preserving your most recent presets to the maximum limit.
Your credits and Overwatch League tokens will also be combined when you merge accounts. Any OWL tokens purchased on Nintendo Switch will remain on that platform. However, items you buy from them can be accessed on a variety of platforms.
I hope this is all clear enough! If at any point you’re not sure what to do, feel free to reach me on Twitter @krisholt and i will do my best to help.
Having access to all the cosmetics I’ve unlocked or bought, regardless of platform, seems like a good reason to merge accounts. So does the option to make some progress with the same battle pass I have on PC when I play some Arcade games on Switch on my balcony.
Meanwhile, the overwatch Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event is underway. You still have time to earn some loot boxes and add them to your cosmetics collection sooner Overwatch 2 launches. Remember that all your overwatch cosmetics will be carried over to the sequel.
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