The action of Overwatch. takes place in a technologically advanced, highly stylized future earth. In a time of global crisis, an international task force of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities known as Overwatch. had come together to restore peace to a war-torn world. After many years, the group’s influence waned, and it was eventually disbanded. Overwatch. might be gone now . . . but the world still needs heroes.

With an emphasis on accessibility and pure fun, Overwatch. brings Blizzard’s signature easy-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay to the FPS genre. Harnessing the power of their hero of choice, players will join forces in teams of six and battle each other across a range of futuristic global locations, from the hologram-lit streets of London to a bazaar in the shadows of a high-tech Egyptian pyramid. Every battlefield is iconic and built to highlight each character’s unique abilities, and fights can shift from streets to rooftops to open skies within the span of a breath.

While each hero represents a formidable force on their own, players can amplify their potential by assembling into a well-balanced team and creatively combining powers. No matter which hero or playstyle they prefer, players will be able to team up and accomplish the incredible in Overwatch.

Competitive Play is designed for those who truly want to put their skills to the test, and offers a more serious experience than Quick Play or Weekly Brawl!  modes. To make sure everyone has a solid understanding of the game’s mechanics, maps, and heroes, Competitive Play will be locked until level 25.

Before starting the competitive career, every new player must first complete 10 placement matches in order to obtain their initial skill rating. This rating will be a number between 1 and 100, with higher values indicating a greater skill level. Skill ratings will be visible at the beginning of every match. As you compete, your rating will increase or decrease with each win or loss based on a number of factors, including your own performance and the skill of the other players in the match.

Competitive Play will consist of four seasons, each lasting two and a half months. During that time, players can increase their skill rating and battle their way up the ranks before the stats are reset at the end of the season. This is followed by a two-week offseason, after which a new season will commence, beginning with a new set of placement matches. The names of these seasons, along with their schedule, will mirror the seasons in the northern hemisphere—and the Summer 2016 season is already underway!

In addition to experiencing the thrill of victory, players can earn new rewards that are only available through Competitive Play. At the end of a season, anyone who has completed the 10 placement matches will receive a special spray and player icon, with a new set of designs being released every season. On top of that, the weapons locker is about to get a little shinier. As you win matches, you’ll earn Competitive Points. Based on your performance, you’ll also receive a number of points at the end of the season. These Competitive Points can be exchanged for cosmetic Golden Weapons for your heroes. At some point during each season, we’ll also activate a leaderboard system that will highlight the top 500 players on your platform.

Competitive Play is available right now on PC, and will be arriving soon on PS4 and Xbox One.

Overwatch features a variety of game modes for shooter veterans and players new to the genre:

• Quick Play automatically matches players with allies and opponents of a similar skill level—a quick and easy way to jump into the fight.
• Play Vs. AI mode pits a team of human players against computer-controlled opponents, with multiple difficulty settings to choose from.
• Custom Games allow teams of friends to tweak the game’s rules, including damage and healing modifiers and which heroes and maps are in play.
• Weekly Brawl! offers up an unexpected challenge every week, like “Justice Rains from Above” (an aerial extravaganza starring rocket-powered Pharah and Mercy, the high-flying healer) and the intense “Arcade” brawl, which features more health, faster cooldowns, and quick respawns.
• Training modes include a Tutorial that teaches players the ropes, a Practice Range where people can try their hand at heroes in a zero-pressure environment, and a Practice vs. AI mode where heroes can further hone their skills.
• . . . And more to come: sometime after launch, players looking for the ultimate team challenge will be able to test their mettle, earn ranks, and show off their skill in Competitive Play. Blizzard also plans to patch in new heroes and maps in the future at no additional cost.

As players compete in matches—win or lose—they’ll level up and earn Loot Boxes, each containing a combination of four items players can use to customize their heroes, including in-game credits and cosmetic goodies including skins, sprays, voice lines, and new animations. Among these items are legendary skins that dramatically alter heroes’ appearances, such as the post-apocalyptic Scavenger D.Va, or Lone Wolf Hanzo, which fills Overwatch’s expert bowman with the spirit of the wild.