Overwatch 2 Heroes Locked for Old Players: How to Fix the Bug

Courtesy of Blizzard

The release of Overwatch 2 came with a great many bugs and heartaches. As players navigate the new game, they have met with a problem that locks heroes for old players. As Blizzard works on finding a solution, here is a guide on how to fix this bug. 

Overwatch 2 debuted Oct. 4 and was intended to extend the first game’s audience. Catered to new players who did not own the original Overwatch, this game has not been user-friendly to the veterans of the franchise. For beginning players, the original roster is fully unlocked after 100 matches, but past players are allowed to instantly have access to their past favorite characters — unless they experience the all-too-common bug that locks their heroes.

Overwatch 2 Heroes Locked for Old Players: How to Fix the Bug

Blizzard released a meager solution stating that this bug can be solved with logging in and out of your account. However, adding on to Overwatch 2’s long server queues, this problem is more complex than this proposed, simple fix. In fact, players might even not be allowed to log in after signing out.

Before trying this solution, here are some steps players should take when troubleshooting for this bug:

  1. Reset your PC or console
  2. Check the internet connection and reset the router if you are experiencing a weak signal
  3. If you are playing on the console, merge your past Overwatch account with your Overwatch 2 account

To merge accounts, first log into Overwatch 2 and go into the "Options" menu. From there find and select "Link account." You will receive a QR code that will take you to a Battle.net login. After either creating a new account or logging in, select "Account Merge." If you run into an error while merging accounts, here is guide on how to solve it.

If these fixes are still not working, Blizzard will hopefully release a patch update soon that will resolve the problem.