Blizzard Entertainment's hero FPS Overwatch 2 has been out for almost a year, and players are still deciding if it is a worthy successor to the original game, seemingly just with an updated UI and more modern textures.

As Overwatch 2 now gears up to launch on Steam on August 10, players will be relieved that the minimum requirements to run the game have mostly stayed the same.

Like with most modern PC games, if players want to crank up the settings to their maximum and play with high frame rates, they won't be able to get away with playing on an ancient machine with a decade-old GPU.

Not to worry, we've got you covered with all the specifications required to play Overwatch 2, from the minimum requirements to high-end performance outlined by Blizzard!

Overwatch 2: Minimum System Requirements

The minimum specs to run Overwatch 2 are pretty simple, not requiring a godly gaming PC to run. The main thing that has changed from the first game is that Overwatch 2 will no longer run on either Windows 7 or Windows 8, requiring the upgrade to Windows 10.

  • Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Internet: Broadband internet connection
  • Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display resolution
  • Processor: Either an Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom x3 8650
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 series or AMD Radeon HD 7000 series
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM
  • Storage: 50 GB available hard drive space

Remember that these minimum requirements allow you to play the game at around 30 frames per second (FPS) at 720p.

While the game is runnable on these baseline specs, you should not settle for low FPS and graphics, as they can impair your gameplay. You don't want to play with a handicap, as your reaction times may feel sluggish compared to enemies playing on more powerful PCs.

Overwatch 2: Recommended System Requirements

Below you will find the recommended specifications to run Overwatch 2. This should allow players to play at a decent FPS of 30-60, with higher graphics settings than the recommended specs allow.

  • Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Internet: Permanent internet connection
  • Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display resolution
  • Processor: Either an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, GeForce GTX 1650, AMD R9 308, AMD RX 6400
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM or more
  • Storage: 50 GB available hard drive space

Any gaming system that meets these recommended specifications should have a smooth gameplay experience at 1080p, with high framerates and consistent visual clarity.

An ethernet cable providing an internet connection is way better than relying on Wi-Fi. A low ping allows your actions to register in real time instead of suffering from lag due to an unstable internet connection.

Overwatch 2: Top Performance Requirements

Blizzard Entertainment has yet to specify exactly what players need to run Overwatch 2 at a high capacity. Given that the framerate cap has increased from 400 frames per second in the original game to 600 FPS in Overwatch 2, hefty graphics cards and processors will be necessary for players to run at full capacity.

We can safely assume that a graphics card in the realm of the GeForce RTX 3000-series is necessary to run at a benchmark of 120 FPS or higher. Check out the below video of Overwatch 2 running on a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU!

Your broadband connection must also be stable enough to avoid lag and packet losses; invest in a decent ethernet cable to prevent such issues.

Important Factors About Overwatch 2 System's Requirements

Overwatch 2 is by no means a static game and is an ever-evolving multiplayer game with new patch notes and new heroes being introduced. As a result, the Overwatch 2 system requirements may change over time. This applies not only to the hard drive disk space but other components like graphics cards too.

You should also keep in mind that Overwatch 2 is a team-based game. Your computer performance indirectly affects the rest of your team. If your computer crashes mid-game, other players will not wait for you to reconnect, and your team will be steamrolled. This leads to losses, ruined ranked matches, deranking, reports, and maybe your account getting banned if you disconnect frequently enough!

To avoid this, consider upgrading your PC or lowering your graphics settings to accommodate your computer's hardware.

Overwatch 2 Laptop System Requirements

The system requirements for playing Overwatch 2 on a laptop are precisely the same as a desktop PC. The main difference is that laptops tend to become overheated way quicker than a regular PC.

We suggest using Low settings when playing on a laptop unless you have a high-end, state-of-the-art gaming PC. Keeping the health of your laptop in mind, check your GPU and CPU temperatures when playing.

How To Install Overwatch 2

  1. To install Overwatch 2, go onto the game's official page and click "Play Now" in the top right corner.
  2. Select which platform you want to download Overwatch 2 from here.
  3. If you have selected PC, the Battle.net launcher will download; create a Battle.net account while you're at it.
  4. Once the Battle.net launcher has been installed, and you have logged in, find Overwatch 2 and download it - it's free!

How To Uninstall Overwatch 2

If you want to uninstall Overwatch 2, all you need to do is go onto Control Panel, click on the game's name and hit uninstall. You can also do this from Battle.net by clicking on Overwatch 2, then clicking the "Gear" icon next to play and pressing "Uninstall."

Important Overwatch 2 Settings

If you want to optimize your Overwatch 2 experience, there are several settings that you can tweak when playing on a low-to-mid-range PC.

Frame Rate

Overwatch 2 has a framerate cap to allow you to adjust your framerate to suit you and your PC. It will be automatic by default, but you can change it to custom and pick anything from 30 FPS to 600.

Texture Quality

Unless you care about aesthetics, this is an easy setting to lower to improve performance. If you have a high-end PC, you can choose Medium or High.

Shadow Quality

Shadows aren't super important in Overwatch 2 and can be turned down to Low.

Final Thoughts

That's everything you need to know about the minimum and recommended system requirements needed to run Overwatch 2 successfully. Remember that having a good PC is just one factor in playing the game well - having a beast PC doesn't automatically mean you'll win games!

If you want more Overwatch 2 content, we've got a guide to unlocking all heroes, the best crosshairs, maps, and individual hero guides for Mercy and D.Va!