Overwatch’s New Kanezaka Challenge Is Now Live

Blizzard announced a new free-for-all map, Kanezaka, will hit Overwatch’s deathmatch mode today. As we previously reported, the new map takes place outside the walls of Hanamura castle, giving players a chance to explore and compete within the surrounding village for the first time. To celebrate the occasion, players (especially those who favor Hanzo) can earn limited-time rewards from now until January 25. 

The rewards in question include six unique sprays as well as the Kyogisha epic skin for Hanzo. Racking up victories in Quick Play, Competitive, or Arcade, nets you these goodies, and here’s how many you’ll need to get each one: 

3 wins – Pagoda player icon

6 wins – Yōkai spray

9 wins – 1 New Epic Skin: Kyogisha Hanzo

If watching someone else play Overwatch is more your thing, you can earn additional rewards by checking out any Twitch streamer playing the game to earn six Kanezaka Challenge Sprays. The number of sprays earned depends on the number of hours watched, so be sure to have those streams running in the background while you’re engaged with work or some other adult obligation to snag some easy rewards. 

2 hours watched – 1 new spray

4 hours watched – 2 new sprays

6 hours watched – 3 new sprays

Kanezaka looks like a blast, and also features a fair amount of Easter Eggs and environmental hints that Blizzard says will pay off in Overwatch 2. Be sure to keep an eye out as you’re racking up wins and earning skins (see what I did there?). Speaking of Overwatch 2, now that Kanezaka is out in the wild, we hope to hear more about it when BlizzConline occurs February 19 and 20. To learn more about Overwatch 2 as well as what Blizzard has in the pipeline in general (such as Diablo IV), check out our coverage hub from our Blizzard issue of Game Informer.