While the big draw of Overwatch 2 is its new heroes and modes, maps are an equally important part of the playing experience. The first Overwatch’s maps were a unique mix of futuristic and traditional, with colorful landscapes, intricate paths, and, of course, plenty of hidden secrets. The game received maps on an irregular basis, meaning players never quite knew when a new location was going to appear in their game.
Overwatch 2 is changing that. Thanks to the game’s new seasonal structure, new maps will be released on a much more regular basis, so fans will always know when the next locale is arriving. Following Overwatch 2’s launch on Oct. 4, the dev team is releasing a new map every other season. During the seasons where no new map is released, players will get a new hero instead.
Here’s everything you need to know about the next Overwatch 2 map release.
Overwatch 2’s next map: Shambali Monastery
Shambali Monastery, informally known as Shambali, is Overwatch 2’s next new map. It’s arriving with the launch of season two on Dec. 6. The map should look familiar to longtime Overwatch fans: it has a very similar aesthetic to Nepal, a launch Control map from the first game in the franchise.
Shambali has lore significance to Zenyatta and new hero Ramattra, both of whom spent time there as monks under Mondatta, an omnic who was famously assassinated in the animated short “Alive.” Shambali features some of Nepal’s major landmarks, including the classic large statues of meditating Omnics.
Shambali is an Escort map, meaning players will either need to push a payload carrying important cargo down a long path or prevent its progress in order to win. The map sits under a dark, snowy sky with lit lamps lining its streets. It seems to have plenty of edges and turns, so players will need to keep a sharp eye out for enemy teams hiding around corners and setting up assaults in small choke points.
What about Overwatch 2’s next map?
Very little is known about Overwatch 2’s next new map. The developers haven’t shared any information about what’s coming after Shambali. It’s likely that thanks to the alternating seasonal release structure of heroes and maps, the next map will arrive at the start of season three. Blizzard plans to release additional modes as well as heroes and maps in the future, so it’s possible that the next map could focus on a mode that doesn’t even exist yet.
