Overwatch Season 5 'A Grim Doctrine' Launches With Vampiric Support Hero
Doctrine makes his playable debut alongside a Solo Leveling collaboration, the Grímsvötn Escort map, and Battle Pass changes.
Overwatch Season 5, titled "A Grim Doctrine," launched on October 6, 2026, bringing the playable debut of Doctrine, a vampiric support hero, according to windowscentral.com. The season also adds a Solo Leveling collaboration, a new Escort map, hero reworks, and changes to how Battle Passes work.
Doctrine was first announced in a trailer at BlizzCon 2026. His story is linked to Doomfist, who broke him out of the Grímsvötn prison, which now arrives as a playable Escort map — the first new Escort map in years.
The season's Halloween event is called Mystery Madness: Graveyard Games. The Solo Leveling collaboration adds skins for Genji, Reaper, Anran, Reinhardt, and Lifeweaver, while Wuyang receives the Mythic Dragon Shaoxia Wuyang skin and Lucio gets his first Mythic weapon, Treblemaker. The Tech Witches collection brings witch hat and bat skins for D.Mon, Shion, Juno, Sierra, and Jetpack Cat.
Two heroes have been reworked: Sombra moves from Damage to Support, with Hotfix healing an ally and Cyberspace creating a healing area, while Roadhog's Scrap Gun now fires two bursts per volley with a stronger center projectile. Battle Passes from Seasons 1–15 are available again through an Unvaulted Pass system.
Team Drives returns on October 29–November 1 and is now available in Quick Play.
Quick answers
When did Overwatch Season 5 launch?
Overwatch Season 5, titled "A Grim Doctrine," launched on October 6, 2026.
What is new in Overwatch Season 5?
Season 5 includes the playable debut of Doctrine, the Grímsvötn Escort map, a Solo Leveling collaboration, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, Unvaulted Battle Passes from Seasons 1–15, and the Mystery Madness: Graveyard Games Halloween event.
When does Team Drives return in Overwatch?
Team Drives returns on October 29–November 1 and comes to Quick Play.