Cinematics are videos created by Blizzard Entertainment to promote the Overwatch franchise. Each focuses on a different hero and map.
Trailers
These cinematics come with the announcement of each Overwatch game: Overwatch and Overwatch 2.
| Game | Trailer | Featured hero(es) | Featured map(s) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overwatch | Cinematic Trailer | Tracer, Winston, Reaper, Widowmaker | None | 7 November 2014 |
| Overwatch | We Are Overwatch | Pharah, Reinhardt, D.Va, Soldier: 76, Mercy, Tracer, Genji, Winston |  King's Row,  Volskaya Industries,  Dorado,  Numbani,  Hanamura,  Watchpoint: Gibraltar
|
18 December 2015 |
| Overwatch | Are You With Us? | Winston | Watchpoint: Gibraltar
|
2 May 2016 |
| Overwatch 2 | Zero Hour | Winston, Mei, Tracer, Genji, Reinhardt, Brigitte, Echo, Mercy |  Paris
|
1 November 2019 |
Animated shorts
Animated shorts are 6 to 10 minute long videos that expand upon the lore of Overwatch. Before the launch of the game, a four-part animated series was steadily released consisting of Recall, Alive, Dragons, and Hero. After the game's launch, two animated shorts are featured each year during gamescom in August and BlizzCon in November. In 2019, no animated shorts were released and the Overwatch 2 announcement cinematic was shown instead.
| No. | Animated short | Featured hero(es) | Featured map(s) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recall |  Winston, Reaper
|
Watchpoint: Gibraltar,  Horizon Lunar Colony (flashback)
|
23 March 2016 |
| 2 | Alive |  Widowmaker, Tracer
|
King's Row
|
5 April 2016 |
| 3 | Dragons |  Hanzo, Genji
|
Hanamura
|
16 May 2016 |
| 4 | Hero |  Soldier: 76
|
Dorado
|
22 May 2016 |
| 5 | The Last Bastion |  Bastion
|
 Eichenwalde
|
18 August 2016 |
| 6 | Infiltration |  Sombra, Reaper, Widowmaker, Zarya
|
Volskaya Industries
|
4 November 2016 |
| 7 | Rise and Shine |  Mei
|
Ecopoint: Antarctica
|
23 August 2017 |
| 8 | Honor and Glory |  Reinhardt, Brigitte
|
Eichenwalde
|
3 November 2017 |
| 9 | Shooting Star |  D.Va
|
 Busan
|
22 August 2018 |
| 10 | Reunion | File:Icon-mccree.png McCree, Ashe, Echo |  Route 66
|
2 November 2018 |
Other cinematics
These cinematics are not listed among the animated shorts.
| Cinematic | Featured hero(es) | Featured map(s) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junkertown: The Plan | Junkrat, Roadhog |  Junkertown
|
21 August 2017 |
In-game cinematics
The Overwatch Archives missions Retribution and Storm Rising have in-game cinematics as cutscenes. Overwatch 2 will also feature cinematics in its PvE game modes.