As if "Overwatch" wasn't already popular enough, Blizzard has decided to celebrate it's anniversary event by roping in even more players. The developers are holding a "Free play weekend" which means that anyone who hasn't already bit the bullet and bought the game can download and play it for free all weekend. The ability to download the game on the PS4, Xbox One and PC is live right now, so make sure you carefully finish reading this article, then go ahead and do nothing over the next 48-72 hours but play yourself some "Overwatch".
Why you should get 'Overwatch'
The game is already among the most popular titles to release over the last few years. Recent counts say there are more than 30 million people who are playing the shooter on a regular basis. There is all kinds of fanmade videos and memes circulating the Internet about the characters and plenty of cosplay going on around the world. The game is even going to be going big time in the next few months as it officially enters the eSports arena on a massive scale.
If you're afraid the free weekend is going to have you facing off against "Overwatch" pros who are just going to use you to beef up their own kill and match statistics, there is even a way you can get around the noob effect.
The Blizzard title has gotten so big, there are people who are willing to peddle their talents online. If that doesn't give you pause, keep in mind it appears there are plenty of people more than willing to pony up the cash to pay for a little help leveling up their characters.
How you can get 'Overwatch' for free this weekend
The one place where Blizzard has fallen short since the launch of the game is that it isn't cross-platform. The developers have given a rather tepid explanation for why users can't even share skins for their characters if they own more than one version, but there are few "Overwatch" players who are taking that explanation all that seriously.
Because the game is on all three major platforms, there are various steps you'll need to take in order to participate in the free play weekend.
For those who want to play on the PC, they'll need to go through the blizzard Battle.net downloader. They can either log in with an existing account or create a new one, and then select the correct icon for the game. Once they have it installed from the launcher, they should be good to go all the way through May 29.
On the PS4, the process is a little different from either the Xbox One or PC. Users should go to the Playstation store, search for "Overwatch" and select the Free Weekend version to download. It needs to be the Free Weekend version or you'll notice it's trying to charge you to buy the game.
On the Xbox One, you'll just need to go to the Xbox store and select the "Overwatch: Origins Edition". Once you have selected this version, make sure you are installing the free trial, as opposed to purchasing the whole game.
The good news for "Overwatch" players who are new to the title, is that if they decide they love it, they can indeed own it. Through the free play weekend, the game has also been discounted by about $10.
