Overwatch 2 Stuck on 'Playing Now' Not Launching or Loading: How to Fix

Overwatch 2 is a fast-paced first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It is a sequel to Overwatch which was released in 2016. Despite the many improvements that have been made to the game, there are some bugs that seem to have carried over to the new version.

The most common bug faced by Overwatch 2 players is the 'Playing Now' problem. Instead of the game launching or loading when the 'Play' button is pressed on the Battle.net application, nothing happens at all.

This issue has long existed in Overwatch 2, causing problems for a lot of players in the past, and even today it continues to be a menace for many to deal with on a daily basis.

Here are a few steps that you can follow if your Overwatch 2 is also stuck on 'Playing Now' and the game fails to launch or load.

How to fix Overwatch 2 getting stuck on 'Playing Now' without the game launching or loading

This bug has been a nuisance for many and still continues to frustrate a lot of Overwatch 2 players. According to the official Battle.net support the following steps need to be followed in order to combat the 'Playing Now' problem.

1. Update your drivers and operating system to resolve any compatibility issues.

2. Reset your in-game options to resolve crashing and performance problems.

3. Update or temporarily turn off any security programs, which may mistakenly identify the login module as a security threat.

4. Delete the Battle.net Tools folder to automatically rebuild outdated or corrupt files.

5. Run the repair tool to repair any damaged game files.

6. Close all other applications to resolve software conflicts and free up resources.

Overwatch 2 Stuck On Playing Now: Update Graphic Card Drivers

1. Simply visit the official website of Nvidia or AMD to download their latest graphic drivers.

2. Once downloaded, start the installation process.

3. Restart the PC once the latest graphic drivers are installed.

4. Now, open Battle.net and try to run Overwatch 2.

If the game gets stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Overwatch 2 Not Launching Or Loading: Turn Off Security Programs

There are times when the security measures intended to protect the system end up hindering several services that are useful or necessary for a particular user.

In the case of Overwatch 2, either Windows Defender or any other third-party antivirus along with Windows Firewall might identify something related to the game as a security threat, so it is best to turn them off temporarily while playing the game.

Windows Defender

1. Press 'Start' and go to the 'Settings' tab.

2. Then select 'Privacy and Security' from the menu and click on 'Windows Security' option.

3. From the available options select 'Virus and Threat Protection'.

4. Scroll down and under 'Virus and Threat Protection Settings' click on 'Manage Settings'.

5. Click on the tab below 'Real-Time Protection' to switch it 'Off'.

Windows Firewall

1. Follow same steps as above until 'Virus and Threat Protection'.

2. This time select 'Firewall and Network Protection' from the available options.

3. A new window will pop up, go to 'Domain Network' and click on the tab below 'Windows Firewall' to turn it 'Off'.

Remember to switch on both of these applications after you are done playing. In case the game is still stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Overwatch 2 Stuck On Playing Now: Reset In-Game Settings

To remove all doubts and return everything to its default state, you can reset all your Overwatch 2 settings without opening the game by following these steps.

1. Start the 'Battle.Net' application.

2. Select 'Overwatch 2' from the available list of games.

3. Click on the 'Cogwheel Icon' which is present right next to the 'Play' button.

4. Select the option titled 'Game Settings'.

5. Now click on 'Reset In-Game Options' and confirm by pressing 'Reset'.

6. Wait for a bit and after completion press 'Done'.

7. Now, open Battle.net and try to run Overwatch 2.

If the game gets stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Overwatch 2 Not Launching Or Loading: Close All Background Applications

There might be some unnecessary applications running in the background eating up your PC resources and hindering you from playing Overwatch 2. Here is how you can end these processes and create some breathing room for the game to operate.

1. Simply press the combination of 'CTRL + Shift + ESC' to directly open the 'Task Manager'.

2. Go through the rows of applications running in the background, identify the ones you deem are unnecessary, and close them by selecting the particular application and clicking on 'End Task'.

3. Once the load on the system has gone down, open Battle.net and try to run Overwatch 2.

If the game gets stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Overwatch 2 Stuck On Playing Now: Delete Battle.net Tools Folder

There are times when some outdated, corrupted, or missing Battle.net folders or files cause issues with the launching or loading of games like Overwatch 2.

1. Close all 'Blizzard' processes like 'Overwatch 2' and 'Battle.net' from the 'Task Manager' by following the steps mentioned above.

2. Once all the processes have been closed from the root, press 'Windows Key + R' to open the 'Run Directory'.

3. Now simply type 'C:\ProgramData\' into the empty space and press 'Enter'.

4. Locate the folder titled 'Battle.net Tools' and 'Delete' it.

5. Run the 'Battle.net' program again for it to run an automatic repair.

6. Try to run Overwatch 2.

If the game gets stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Overwatch 2 Not Launching Or Loading: Repair The Game

There are times when Overwatch 2 might be up-to-date but there could still be some corrupt files in the system and you can repair them by doing the following.

1. Start the 'Battle.Net' application.

2. Select 'Overwatch 2' from the available list of games.

3. Click on the 'Cogwheel Icon' which is present right next to the 'Play' button.

4. Directly click on the 'Scan and Repair' option.

5. A box will pop up asking for permission, press the 'Begin Scan' button.

6. Wait for the scan to finish and then click on 'Update'.

7. Once the update is downloaded and installed, click on 'Play' and see if Overwatch 2 works.

If the game gets stuck on 'Playing Now' and Overwatch 2 fails to launch or load, follow the next step.

Even after following all these steps if the problem still persists then simply reinstall Overwatch 2, and if that fails you shall have to visit the 'Technical Support Forum' to check for viable solutions, and get in touch with someone at Blizzard Support by contacting them.