Overwatch’s upcoming Competitive Play mode is ready for testing on the Public Test Region. Currently, PTR is only available on the PC and has a limit of 10,000 players active players at a time.
In order to unlock Competitive Play, players must first reach level 25 and then complete 10 placement matches to determine your skill rating.
“With your newly acquired skill rating, you’ll be matched against players of a similar ability level,” Blizzard explains. “And if you play well and win games, the competition will become increasingly fierce throughout the two-and-a-half-month season. Plus, your performance will be rewarded with unique in-game items like sprays, player icons, and Competitive Points (which can be traded in for cosmetic Golden Weapons).”
Here’s how to access the public test:
Step 1: Restart the Battle.net desktop app.
Step 2: Navigate to the Overwatch tab on the left-hand menu.
Step 3: Select “PTR: Overwatch” from the REGION/ACCOUNT drop-down menu.
Step 4: Click “Install” to begin the installation process.
Step 5: Once the PTR client is installed and updated, click “Play” to begin!
Your account including all your level, stats, and unlocks will be transferred over before playing on PTR. However, any progress achieved within PTR will not transfer back to your original account.
For more information and the FAQ for the public test, check out the official blog post on Overwatch’s website.
Recently, Overwatch’s producer Jeff Kaplan made an in-depth discussion video on the upcoming Competitive Play mode and provided reasons behind changes since the beta.