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Overwatch 2

Why Are Some Characters Locked?

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★10/25/2022 Patch Notes | Dev Blog #6
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Overwatch 2 - Why Are Some Characters Locked
Players are currently experiencing their characters being Locked in Overwatch 2 due to an issue with Blizzard's server that tracks player progression. Read on to learn the reasons why some of your characters are locked.

List of Contents

Why Are Some Characters Locked?

Issue With Player Progression

Overwatch 2 - Incorrectly Applied with FTUE
According to Blizzard, players whose accounts have their heroes locked are caused by an issue with Blizzard's servers that tracks player progression. They are currently aware of this issue and are working to resolve it.

Characters Locked Bug: How to Fix

New Heroes are Still Being Tested

Overwatch 2 - New Heroes are Still Being Tested
Heroes released recently are most likely locked from being played in Ranked Games. This is to test their viability and to check if they are overpowered or unfair to play against.

This only affects ranked games and can be played in other game modes, such as Quick Play and Deathmatch.

Exploitable Character Bug

Overwatch 2 - Exploitable Character Bug
Another reason some characters are locked is likely due to a bug on certain characters where they can be exploited to give players an unfair advantage over the opposing team. Sometimes, it can even be the opposite, where the bug will inhibit the character's functionality.

Bastion and Torbjörn are currently locked due to a bug that lets them exploit their skills, giving them an unfair advantage over the opposing team. Due to this, Bastion, specifically, can't be played in any game mode, including the training room.

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