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.

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.

As announced earlier this month, Blizzard is celebrating Overwatch's second birthday, and has kicked off a Free Play Weekend, starting today, May 25th, through May 28th.

Starting today, Overwatch will be free to play from Friday, May 25th through Monday, May 28th on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. For those playing on PlayStation 4, Sony PlayStation will NOT require a PS Plus subscription to participate in Free Weekend (PS Plus will still be required to play after purchase).

During this free weekend, we're making Overwatch's full roster of 27 heroes and 18 maps available for play in a variety of modes, including Quick Play, Custom Games, and the Arcade. Players will also be able to participate in the Overwatch Anniversary Event, as well as have the ability to level up, earn loot boxes, and unlock a variety of different customization options.

If players decide to purchase Overwatch after test driving the game, they’ll get to keep any progress made during the weekend—as long as they use the same Blizzard, Xbox Live, or Sony Entertainment account that they played on.