How to Fix Overwatch 2 “Failed to Connect to Game Server” Error

Overwatch is a multinational organization, traveling the world, protecting the innocent, and escorting a lot of payloads and robots. Of course, in order to do those last couple of things, they need to know where they’re actually going. That’s a lot harder when the map won’t load. Here’s how to Fix the Overwatch 2 “Failed to Connect to Game Server” error.

How to Fix Overwatch 2 Failed to Connect to Game Server

If you’re getting an error indicating a failure to connect to a multiplayer server when playing Overwatch 2, the problem can either be on the server side or on your side. In the former case, there may be maintenance going on in the Overwatch 2 servers in general, or the particular server you’re trying to connect to may be on the fritz in one way or another.

Related: Is Overwatch 2 Free To Play?

Either way, you can verify the status of Overwatch 2’s servers by checking the official Overwatch Twitter, or by using a third-party service like DownDetector. If the servers are down, you’ll just have to wait until the developers can get them back online.

If the servers seem fine, then the error may be on your end. In that case, there are a few tricks you can try:

• Restart Overwatch 2
• Relaunch Battle.net
• Check your internet connection
• Check your antivirus

Restart Overwatch 2

The first and foremost thing you should try is a clean launch of the game. Relaunching the game clears out temporary files and refreshes your game session. Simply close Overwatch 2, using the Task Manager to ensure it’s closed completely, then launch it back up. With any luck, that’ll fix the problem.

Relaunch Battle.net

If the issue is more to do with Blizzard’s Battle.net services than Overwatch 2, you might be able to get through by logging out of Battle.net and logging back in. Simply click on your username in the Battle.net launcher to find the log-out option, then log back in with your account and password. Don’t forget to have your smartphone handy for authentication!

Check Your Internet Connection

If refreshing Battle.net and the game doesn’t work, try running a few tests to determine your internet health. Browse around on some connection-intensive websites like YouTube or Netflix, or try launching a different online game outside of Battle.net.

If you’re experiencing lag or connection issues in these instances, the problem may be with your connection. Try power-cycling your router (i.e. unplugging it and plugging it back in), switching to a wired connection instead of wireless or vice versa, and look online or on your phone to see if there are any outages or maintenance going on in your service area.

Check Your Antivirus

A lot of antivirus programs have a tendency to get overenthusiastic, blocking any executables that attempt to access the internet. Check your antivirus’ quarantine utility to see if it’s preventing Battle.net or Overwatch 2 from launching or functioning. Add both the launcher and the Overwatch 2 executable to your antivirus’ whitelist to ensure they get exceptions and can function normally. You can also just disable your antivirus temporarily if you want to verify whether or not that’s the actual problem.

If you’re still having difficulty connecting to Overwatch 2 servers, try contacting Blizzard Support. You can fill out a ticket with your precise problem, plus supplementary info like your computer specs, and a representative will get back to you as soon as they can.