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Overwatch Season 6 release date: Blizzard hasn't announced it, and we expect Tuesday, Dec. 1
Blizzard hasn't announced the release date for Overwatch Season 6 as of Oct. 18, 2026. Expected date: about Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026. That's our estimate, based on Blizzard's schedule: Season 5: A Grim Doctrine began on Oct. 6, Seasons 3 and 4 each lasted eight weeks, and last year Season 20 began on Dec. 9, 2025, eight weeks after the October season. If Season 5 runs nine weeks, like Seasons 1 and 2, the next season would start on Dec. 8. Blizzard also hasn't said whether the next season keeps the 2026 numbering, since Season 5 closes out the Reign of Talon, Overwatch's first year-long story, and a Spotlight presentation about 2027 is planned for early 2027. Season 5 added Doctrine, a vampire-inspired Support and the game's 54th hero, along with the Watchpoint: Grímsvötn Escort map and Sombra's move to Support. Blizzard teased Hero 55 at BlizzCon for 2027 but hasn't named it.
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Season 5 of Overwatch started on Oct. 6, and Blizzard hasn’t said when the next one begins. Here’s when we expect Overwatch Season 6, what Season 5 added and what’s known about the next hero.
When does Overwatch Season 6 come out?
Blizzard hasn’t announced it. Expected date: about Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026. That’s our estimate, not an official date. Overwatch seasons in 2026 started on Feb. 10, April 14, June 16, Aug. 11 and Oct. 6, all Tuesdays, so the first two lasted nine weeks and the next two eight weeks. Eight weeks after Oct. 6 is Dec. 1, and nine weeks is Dec. 8.
Last year followed the same rhythm: Season 19 began on Oct. 14, 2025, and Season 20 on Dec. 9, 2025, eight weeks later. The OWCS World Finals, Overwatch’s world championship, start on Dec. 2 in Guangzhou, China, as our OWCS World Finals 2026 page explains.
Will the next season be called Season 6?
Blizzard hasn’t said. Season 5 closes out the Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long story, and Blizzard says a Spotlight presentation about 2027 comes early in the year. The numbering already changed once: on Feb. 10, 2026, Blizzard’s patch notes switched from Overwatch 2 to Overwatch, and the season count started again at Season 1 after Season 20.
Blizzard hasn’t said whether a December season keeps the 2026 numbering as Season 6 or how the 2027 seasons are numbered.
What’s in Overwatch Season 5
Season 5: A Grim Doctrine began on Oct. 6 with Doctrine, a vampire-inspired Support hero and an old ally of Doomfist. Doctrine heals allies and damages enemies with the Eternal Scepter, sends bat-like drones that give the team healing and attack speed, and has an Ultimate that gives allies Overhealth while limiting the maximum health of enemies. The season also added Watchpoint: Grímsvötn, an Escort map set in an Icelandic volcano prison and the first new Escort map in years.
Sombra moved from Damage to Support, with a new healing ability called Hotfix, and Roadhog got a reworked Scrap Gun and a new ability, Trash Compactor, that swallows enemy projectiles and fires them back. Unvaulted Passes also let players progress revised Battle Passes from older seasons alongside the current one.
Overwatch Season 5 event dates
The Halloween mode Mystery Madness: Graveyard Games runs from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2: players come back from each death with random new powers, and the roster grows to 20 heroes over the event. The Overwatch x Shadow Monarch collaboration skins are available until Oct. 19, the Tech Witches collection, with skins for D.Mon, Shion, Juno, Sierra and Jetpack Cat, runs from Oct. 9 to 26, and Team Drives return to Competitive from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
Who is the next Overwatch hero?
Blizzard hasn’t named Hero 55. At BlizzCon on Sept. 12, where it revealed Doctrine as Hero 54, Blizzard showed a clue about Hero 55 and tied it to where Overwatch is headed in 2027. It hasn’t given Hero 55’s role or release season.
The roster grew in every season of 2026: Season 1 added five new heroes at once, Season 2 the Damage hero Sierra, Season 3 the Damage hero Shion, Season 4 the Tank hero D.Mon on Aug. 11 and Season 5 Doctrine. For another hero shooter’s schedule, our Marvel Rivals Season 11 page has the next season date we expect from NetEase.
This page is updated as soon as Blizzard announces the date of the next Overwatch season or names Hero 55.
FAQ
When does Overwatch Season 6 come out?
Blizzard hasn’t announced it. Our estimate is Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, eight weeks after Season 5 began on Oct. 6, the same gap as between Seasons 3, 4 and 5. If Season 5 lasts nine weeks, like Seasons 1 and 2, the date would be Dec. 8.
When does Overwatch Season 5 end?
Blizzard hasn’t given an end date. The Season 5 Halloween event runs until Nov. 2, 2026, and we expect Season 5 to end when the next season begins, around Dec. 1.
Who is the new hero in Overwatch Season 5?
Doctrine, a vampire-inspired Support hero and an ally of Doomfist, who joined the roster on Oct. 6, 2026. Blizzard revealed Doctrine as Hero 54 at BlizzCon on Sept. 12, with a short hero trial through Sept. 14.
Who is the next Overwatch hero?
Blizzard hasn’t named Hero 55. At BlizzCon in September 2026, it showed a clue about Hero 55 and tied it to where Overwatch is headed in 2027, but it hasn’t given a name, role or release season.
When did D.Mon come out in Overwatch?
D.Mon joined as a new Tank hero at the start of Season 4: Heroes of Busan on Aug. 11, 2026. A Tech Witches skin for D.Mon is available from Oct. 9 to 26 during Season 5.
Is Overwatch still called Overwatch 2?
Blizzard’s patch notes switched from Overwatch 2 to Overwatch on Feb. 10, 2026, when the season count also started again at Season 1 after Season 20. The game is free to play, with paid Battle Passes each season.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
Which role does Doctrine play in Overwatch?
Doctrine is a Support hero who joined on Oct. 6, 2026. Sombra also moved from Damage to Support in Season 5.
Your call
What do you want most in the next Overwatch season?
