Overwatch 2 has been in the works for some time, with recent rumors indicating Overwatch 2 may be arriving in the near future. With eager fans in hot pursuit of any leads regarding the anticipated sequel, it's no surprise that rumors of a beta version are making the rounds.

It seems newly-discovered files suggest the possible existence of a playable version of Overwatch 2, according to Dexerto, though the details are scarce. Blizzard has yet to announce an official release date of any sort for the game, but given the amount of details available, gamers speculate the game may arrive before the end of 2021.

The recently discovered game files can be seen through the Battle.net Launcher, normally used to play Blizzard games like World of Warcraft available on PC, and use a label not seen on similar Overwatch files. The files are named "prov2", which can be interpreted as "ov2" with some sort of prefix.


These files are content distribution network (CDN) files, which are normally reserved for pre-distributing data that will make downloading a patch or update in the future quicker, according to Dexerto. Gaming veterans have been quick to point out that if these "prov2" files refer to a version of the much-anticipated Overwatch sequel, it could very well mean that a beta version of the game, or something similar, will soon be available.

Even if this were true, "soon to be available" may just be "available to a select group of players." Most gamers probably shouldn't expect to access the game soon, especially as Blizzard is still actively pushing the original, so much so that players can currently play Overwatch on Switch for free. This rumor may not even concern an imminent beta version at all. Other plausible theories include the fact that international or non-local voice actors may be recording and submitting dialogue, which requires them to have some sort of version of the upcoming title.

Regardless of the theory, this is something to keep an eye on. Fans of the game are looking out for leads, and the fact that no other similar files carry the "ov2" label is noteworthy. Regular players already know that Echo was the last Overwatch character, and Sojourn will be debuting in Overwatch 2 along with new game modes, stages, and other characters. At this point, a release date for the upcoming game is just about the only thing Blizzard has yet to reveal.

Overwatch 2 is currently in development.