The new map in Overwatch 2 season 3 is a Control map in Antarctica, with three areas and insight into future updates for the multiplayer game (thanks, Polygon). The map builds on the much smaller Ecopoint map from the original Overwatch and includes some Easter eggs and lore about what happened to Mei’s expedition while they were stationed there.
The new Antarctica map is the first Control map built for Overwatch 2 and its new 5-team structure, and Blizzard said it’s also built with verticality in mind. Some of the control points feature a small area above the main zone that you can use to capture or contest the point.
The season 3 map’s big draw is the massive icebreaker ship that Blizzard said they created with extensive attention to detail and much research on real-life icebreakers. It comes complete with a tunnel system nearby, hiding places, key locations at the bow of the ship and the captain’s quarters, and plenty of opportunities to work together, call out enemy locations, and take control of the map.
Antarctic Peninsula, a New Control map, debuts in Season 3! 🥶
Tips to help you prepare:
🧤Dress accordingly
🐧Always say hi to the penguins
🏆Capture the point & winTune in Feb 6 for the Season 3 Trailer
👀 https://t.co/7Hpk8qWd8H pic.twitter.com/rSydZvDWBH— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 2, 2023
There’s a huge ice drill, penguins, and even the chance for a spot of ice fishing, but what Blizzard is particularly keen on players finding is a scattering of secrets in the environment that point to the multiplayer game’s future.
“You can see some hints about what Mei and her team were trying to find out there,” narrative designer Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie told Polygon. “And maybe there are some sort of secrets. I don’t know, maybe you can find something in the map that will tell you something even more exciting about the story to come.”
Just make sure you don’t team up with cheaters too often, unless you want a permanent ban.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF