Blizzard Entertainment has announced a number of measures being implemented as Overwatch 2 approaches its much-awaited launch on October 4.

Detailed in their latest Blog Post, the FTUE or first time user experience for new players is designed to introduce the game gradually instead of just dropping players in the face of numerous modes and heroes. New players will begin with a limited set of modes and heroes, with more being unlocked and added as they progress through the FTUE.

According to the post, the first phase of the FTUE “rapidly unlocks all the game modes and the ability to chat in-game” while the second phase “unlocks all the original Overwatch heroes over the course of approximately 100 matches.”

New players wanting to jump into the competitive Overwatch 2 queue will also need to win 50 quick play matches before the competitive mode is unlocked.

Additionally, Blizzard Entertainment also outlined steps to combat disruptive behavior as Overwatch 2 goes free-to-play.

One such measure is SMS Protect, where all players will be required to have a phone number attached to their battle.net accounts to launch Overwatch 2. The said phone number cannot be used to create multiple accounts and also cannot be used on multiple accounts.

Overwatch 2 is scheduled to launch on October 4, 2022, for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC.