When does Overwatch competitive season 22 begin?

While many things may change in the Overwatch world, the beginning and end of competitive seasons are always guaranteed. Season 21 may go down as one of the most tumultuous seasons in Overwatch history, but at least it’s nearly over and a more stable season will quickly follow. 

Season 21 of competitive Overwatch ends at 12pm CT on May 7 with season 22 beginning immediately after. Each competitive season lasts approximately two months and resets on the first Thursday after the month starts. Players will immediately be able to complete season 22 placement matches for all roles. 

Few competitive seasons have included as many wild changes as season 21 did. Hero Pools was introduced when the season began on March 5 and was echoed in the Overwatch League on March 7. At first, developers stuck to the system of disabling one tank hero, one support hero, and two DPS heroes in competitive mode each week. 

As the weeks went on with competitive mode Hero Pools, the developers began conducting experiments with hero bans. One week, they banned two supports and another they banned two tanks. The ultimate experiment came when the developers disabled four DPS heroes, all hitscan, in one week to see how the game’s meta would shift. Shortly after, competitive Hero Pools were consolidated with the Overwatch League’s pools. 

Season 22 begins with a much more stable atmosphere. Hero Pools are disabled for all ranks as of May 4. The developers are working to make Hero Pools affect only players with a skill rating (SR) of 3,500 or higher in Master or Grandmaster ranks. 

As of mid-April, map pools have also been disabled for competitive mode. Assault maps Paris and Horizon Lunar Colony won’t be in the rotation while they undergo changes. 

When season 22 begins, it will likely feel a bit more free and chaotic without the inclusion of Hero Pools or specific map pools. Get ready for all the action to begin at 12pm CT on May 7.