Competitive matches are available to players once they reach level 25. They're a different kind of Overwatch match, and when compared with matches in quick play or arcade games, the competitive seasons that Overwatch has offered since June 2016 are much more fast-paced, and there's more at stake.
Placement and matches
To start off your competitive Overwatch career, you must first play 10 placement matches. These matches can be won or lost as a team, just like in any other Overwatch match, but the end result is what determines your skill rating. This rating will be a number that falls between 1 and 5000 and coincides with the various Overwatch rankings.
The higher your skill rating number, the further up the rank you are; though, this can be improved as you play through the competitive matches in each season that Overwatch offers.
As you compete, depending on whether your team wins or loses, your skill rating will either rise or fall. You can see the rank of your team members from the start of the match, and you're likely to be placed with players of a similar skill level once you make it through your placement matches.
Rankings
Ranking in the competitive season Overwatch isn't difficult to understand. After your placement matches, you'll see your skill rating, and you'll be given a rank of one of the following: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, or Grandmaster.
These rankings are broken up as follows:
- Bronze: 1 -1499 points
- Silver: 1500 - 1999 points
- Gold: 2000 - 2499 points
- Platinum: 2500 - 2999 points
- Diamond: 3000 - 3499 points
- Master: 3500 - 3999 points
- Grandmaster: 4000+ points
Rewards
Players can unlock particular rewards by playing through competitive. If you play through your placement matches, you'll receive a special spray and player icon at the end of the season, but if you're placed in the Top 500 in your region and on your gaming platform, you'll also receive another icon and an animated spray.
Changes?
There are no changes from the last season of Overwatch, which ended only days ago. This should make it easy for players to head straight into their matches without any concerns. For new players, there is plenty of information available about the competitive season once you unlock it, just click the information button underneath the competitive play menu.
This competitive season started at 17:00 PDT, on October 31(0:00 GMT, November 1). It's due to end in exactly 57 days, on December 27, 2017, and as always, there's a countdown available in-game.
