Players new to Overwatch 2 will have to grind 100 matches to unlock original characters

If you have never played Overwatch, and plan on jumping into Overwatch 2, you will have some work to do if you want to add heroes from the original game to your roster.

In a blog post on the Overwatch website, Blizzard revealed new players will need to complete around 100 matches in order to unlock characters from the original game.

According to Blizzard, it is part of what it's calling the First Time User Experience (FTUE), which is an introduction to Overwatch 2 specifically designed for brand-new players.

The studio said it wants to welcome players "more gradually" to Overwatch 2, so they do not feel overwhelmed due to the number of game modes and heroes.

To that end, new players will start the game with access to a limited set of game modes, heroes, and other restrictions to "onboard them more gradually." The first phase rapidly unlocks all the game modes and the ability to chat in-game, and the second phase unlocks all the original Overwatch heroes after approximately 100 matches.

"This focused experience eases new players into the world of Overwatch by teaching them about different modes, rules, and other high-level aspects of the game in an approachable way," said Blizzard.

Most restrictions are lifted while in a group, thus allowing new players to team up with friends at any time to play almost any game modes. Competitive is the exception to this rule because new players must complete a specific challenge to access this game mode.

Blizzard said the requirements to enter Competitive mode in Overwatch 2 are changing. Because the team is removing player levels in-game, instead of having to reach a certain level, new players are now challenged to win 50 Quick Play matches before Competitive unlocks.

This will provide newbies with enough time to prepare for the "higher expectations that come with Competitive," and it will keep long-term players from feeling discouraged by teammates with less experience.

"While this process helps new players join the fun, it’s also an effective way to discourage disruptive behavior and cheating," said Blizzard. "FTUE is an investment to complete because it takes time to unlock game features. Competitive, specifically, cannot be accessed without winning matches. Disruptive players are unable to immediately affect the larger community, with things like voice chat and match chat unlocking later in FTUE.

"Brand-new accounts made by cheaters or disruptive players will all have to play through this experience, giving us the chance to identify suspicious accounts before they enter other game modes."

The First Time User Experience will only affect accounts made on or after the October 4 release date.

Anyone who played prior, as well as Watchpoint Pack owners, will not have to play through the First Time User Experience.