Just realized someone posted this above, sorry for the double post.
I think i’ve found out what’s causing the computer to freeze. The answer is simple. Overwatch 2 don’t like Virusscanners. How so you may ask?
Well… I use 360 Total Security latest updated version and having a subscription on it.
After exiting the program in the lower right corner by right clicking on the icon and simply selecting Exit, i tried running Overwatch 2 again by pressing the play button.
Now miracly i could enter the game and got in queue with a lot of people in front of me.
So Blizzard, i think i found your answer. Not only Sophos is causing it, but also 360 Total Security…
I also tried adding the Overwatch.exe in the trust list, but this didn’t help, my comp froze again and had to hard reset it…
At least i’m making a bit of progress!
Having the same issue - only solution that allows me to launch is to start the application from the windows folders before trying to initiate from the launcher.
If you click the Cog next to ‘Play’ in the launcher > Show in Explorer > click to the ‘retail’ folder & launch the application from there.
it gets the game to launch for me but the Server/Queueing issue is still bugged
I have the same issue. Updated all the drivers and when i click to “play” it states “playing” but no window with the game is opened. I just have the battle.net opened without the game, and it’s not in the task manager either. WTF. Please advise.
Still not able to log on after nearly 20 hours…was once able to get to the selecting server screen but now all I get is playing on Battlenet and OW2 not launching …
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Hello. I have the same issue. When I press “Play” OW2 it goes “playing now” and stucks like that. Only way to shut down the game is from task manager. Tried restart, reinstall launcher, reinstall game, repair game, uninstall battlenet agent, run as admin and few more but nothing works
Edit: I had no issue with running OW1 and I have no antivirus
Update: after reply of @hiker I disabled nahimic and it launched without issues. Then tried few more times and launched in all of them
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This works for me too. though restart does work for me and also log-out and back in again. I assume this means a late loading app during windows login is breaking the game, but I’ve not managed to work out what it is yet.
So I have been having this same issue. The only thing that fixed it was uninstalling my Anit-Virus, BitDefender. Turning it off or adding in exceptions did not work. The only thing that worked was a full uninstall.
Now I just have the queue to contend with. Guess I will be back in 2 weeks.
saaame, did everything and it’s still not working 
Disabling Windows defender (all slide options) enables me to launch the game.
i have the same issue, just updated all my drivers, old pre OW2 install. MSI based system/windows 10, PC. NL.
weird thing is is that it doesn’t even take time to start, it just turns to grey, then nothing. deep in my task manager is a bby OW2 icon, no demand from my system.
my specs:
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX
Crucial Ballistix Sport LT BLS2K16G4D32AESB
MSI radeon rx 6700 xt
Windows 10
be quiet! Dark Rock 4
Intel 660p 2TB
Corsair RM550x (2018) Zwart
You have any AntiVirus software installed or Windows Defender turned on? From what I have seen in this thread, that seems to be the culprit. It also seems that for aftermarket AV software, it needs to be uninstalled, exceptions are not working. For Windows Defender, turning it off is what is needed.
You can also try running in combability mode - Try launching from the Launcher, if it fails to actually open:
open task manager > find the Overwatch Application > RClick, Properties> Compatibly Tab> Troubleshoot or Run in Combability mode.
I just tried to launch on PC and then on xbox. Still can’t connect. Just endless Q and then go back to end of the line and repeat. Every once in a while it gets to the front and then gives me a red network error.
Yesterday I tried on switch and PS and that failed as well.
I can’t see it being just a windows defender issue or some such when it fails on all four platforms I tested: PC, xbox, switch, ps
It’s not only one person having this issue. The problem is from you guys and not us. Let’s all turn off all the defense for our computers and unplug all, so that we can play OW2. I had 0 issues in playing OW1 from the same PC with all the above mentioned installed but for OW2 it does not even open, WTH. Just Fix the issue.
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i can start the game now after i deinstall my nahimic audio software 
…
But i get sometimes a gamecrash after some minutes… oh blizzard…
FWIW, with regards to the anti-malware suite issues, it’s actually not Blizzard’s fault. Modern anti-malware software uses heuristic detection to try to detect and block malware that may not yet be known to the engine(s). It would be impossible to know every piece of malware out there! Obviously, since this is only an issue with the day one version of the game, the libraries/binaries have been patched for some reason or another and are behaving in a way that the AM suites see as nefarious.
So whose responsibility is it to fix the issue? Technically, both Blizzard and the companies providing the anti-malware software. Blizzard needs to submit a false positive report to them and they in turn will need to push an engine definition update to prevent the blocking of the library/binary. Blizzard could also patch the library/binary to ensure it doesn’t behave in whatever way is getting it blocked.
Although I’m certain people will still moan and conveniently ignore this post. I’m just killing time while I wait for the queue…
a complete reinstall of overwatch now lets me start up, which is nice!
i have no antivirus software on my PC. so idk what caused this issue. but i’m glad it’s fixed now for me.
Just did this and can finally see the OW2 game come up. No clue what got changed in the compatibility. Now it is eating close to 100% CPU even after the app is closed, which is not closing it out in memory. This is definitely a code issue on Blizzards part. They did something off from Beta to launch.
Edit : Checked what the compatibility change was… It’s setting the game run as if it was in Windows 8.
Update 2 : As I posted later in this thread… I reset the compatibility to default and disabled Nahimic 2 and the game loads and plays normal and exists out of memory when I leave the game.
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So i disabled the Razer synapse as many have mentioned and it works to enter into the game, but it works only on America servers and not for Europe servers from where i am :)) or Asia. So, the game has something that interferes with other apps, but it is mind-blowing that it works only on American servers and not the rest :))