Overwatch Season 18 start date: When does the Role Queue start?

UPDATE, 1/9/2019: Season 18’s start date has been delayed due to a bug with Role Queue and SR. Read more here.

Overwatch is currently going through some pretty major changes, with the likes of Sigma and the highly anticipated and much-hyped Role Queue both being recently implemented. The latter is currently in a beta season on the live servers after some time on the PTR, but when can we expect Role Queue to see a full introduction, and when will Season 18 start?

The most recent competitive season in Overwatch — season 17 — ended prematurely following the initial Role Queue announcement, coming in at just under eight weeks rather than the normal two-month cycle. The season was shortened to make way for Role Queue, allowing for a mini-competitive season so that Blizzard could test the new competitive season in a beta environment.

That beta is currently happening across console and PC, with players almost universally supporting the new 2-2-2 role lock feature, as per our poll at the bottom of this article.

Season 18 start date and time

So when is the beta expected to finish, and when can we jump back into the real competitive queues? Season 18 is set to start on September 1, with the current Role Queue beta expected to end on August 28, so only a few days time to really test it out ahead of the official launch.

This season stands to be the most influential and perhaps most intriguing since the first two season of the Overwatch competitive scene, given Blizzard has for the first time introduced a role restriction. While insta-lock DPS mains probably won’t be especially benefited from the new system, Role Queue stands to even the spread and allow players to more evenly play alongside players and heroes more in line with their own skill set.

Here are the specific start dates for Role Queue in Season 18, as well as Quick Play.

• Competitive Play: August 31st @ 5PM PST (September 1st 00:00 UTC)
• Quick Play: September 3rd @ 11AM PST

You’ll be able to play Quick Play Classic via the Arcade from September 3rd @ 11AM PST, which allows you to play QP without Role Queue.

Role Queue – How It Works

The role queue system, basically, will work like this: as you enter into a Quick Play or Competitive match, you’ll have to select a “role”, being one of Support, Damage, or Tank. Then, the matchmaking system will put you into a team that requires players within that role.

When you enter into the match lobby, you’ll then select a hero based on that chosen role, and only heroes within that role. That means if you select Tank, you won’t then be able to pick a Support or Damage hero.

When you enter into the match lobby, you’ll then select a hero based on that chosen role, and only heroes within that role. That means if you select Tank, you won’t then be able to pick a Support or Damage hero.

[poll id=”116″]