Blizzard is beginning the soft launch of Overwatch Rush in Southeast Asia, giving players in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines an early opportunity to play the top-down Overwatch spin-off.
The rollout begins in Indonesia on August 31, 2026, followed by Malaysia and the Philippines in the days after. Blizzard says the soft launch will help the development team continue testing and optimizing the game before expanding to additional regions.
This version of Overwatch Rush introduces several additions and changes, including a new progression system, Brigitte as a playable Hero, three new maps, two additional modes, and various gameplay improvements.
Brigitte Joins Overwatch Rush
Brigitte joins the roster as a new Vanguard Hero, with her abilities reworked around Overwatch Rush’s top-down perspective. Her playstyle combines frontline durability with aggressive close-range combat.
Lúcio has also received an overhaul following feedback from previous testing. His abilities have been adjusted to more closely resemble his traditional Overwatch playstyle, including improved battlefield mobility and the ability to provide speed and healing boosts simultaneously.
The soft launch roster also features Tracer, Reinhardt, Soldier: 76, Reaper, Kiriko, Pharah, and Mercy.
A new Hero Level progression system will allow players to earn progression currencies through gameplay and choose which Heroes they want to level up, providing more control over roster development and loadouts.
Three New Maps and Two Modes
The soft launch adds three maps inspired by established Overwatch locations: Narwhal Cove in Gibraltar, Hydronet Gardens in Cairo, and Mansión Portero in Dorado.
While rooted in existing Overwatch lore, each location has been designed specifically around the top-down gameplay of Overwatch Rush.
Two new modes are also joining the game.
Duo Free for All pits three teams of two players against each other, making it the game’s first multi-team mode. 3v3 Control, meanwhile, adapts Overwatch’s familiar objective-based Control format into smaller three-player teams.
Blizzard has also made several changes based on feedback from earlier testing. These include a redesigned tutorial, an Aim Assist toggle, a new “Group Up” ping, teammate health tracking, Ultimate readiness information, and indicators for teammates who are off-screen.
Optional purchases will also be introduced during the soft launch. One bundle includes the Epic Kingpin Soldier: 76 skin and 2,000 Credits, while additional Credit bundles will be available for players looking to accelerate Hero progression.
Blizzard says purchases will remain optional and that player skill is intended to remain the defining factor in matches.
Overwatch Rush begins its soft launch in Indonesia on August 31, with Malaysia and the Philippines following in the days after. Blizzard plans to bring the game to additional regions during future phases.
