Nearly a month after release, Overwatch is continuing to receive a lot of attention. While Blizzard continues to plug away at plans for new maps and characters, the game’s first major addition, that being a long-desired Competitive Play mode, is still scheduled to launch by the end of the month. To test the feature out, Blizzard has opened a “Public Test Realm” in Korea. It functions similarly to an open beta, and naturally, players who have given this a try are already sharing details.
Competitive rankings will be divided into three-month season periods, where players will be required to play 10 placement matches that gauge an overall skill rating. Similar to traditional ranked play mechanics, this rating will help players be placed into matches with opponents of a similar skill level.
Exclusive cosmetic unlockables will be tied to competitive seasons, including new sprays and gold-painted weapons. The latter can be unlocked using points earned from Competitive Play victories. In keeping with the game’s accessible traditions, though, equipping these flashier weapons won’t have any impact on actual gameplay.
Blizzard has not yet revealed whether any other countries will get to test this feature before its proper launch, or an actual date for that release. Considering that there’s less than two weeks left in June, though, Overwatch fans won’t have to wait long before blinging out their favorite heroes.