How to Set Up a Custom Game in Overwatch 2

Open Play → Custom Games → Create in Overwatch 2 to host a lobby. Open Settings to choose a preset, mode, and map, then check who can join before inviting anyone. You can start with friends or use Add AI in a compatible setup if you need opponents to test the rules.

1. Create a lobby and set access

Open Play and look for Custom Games. If your Play screen groups the extra modes together, check the More section. The browser lists games created by other players. Use Create to open your own lobby and become the host.

Before sharing the lobby, look at its access setting. Choose an invite-only setup for a closed session, or the friends option if you want people on your friends list to join without individual invites. Use public access when you want the lobby to be discoverable. For a scrimmage or a test where the teams are already set, starting with a closed lobby makes it easier to keep the right players in the right slots.

2. Choose the mode and map

1. In the lobby, open Settings.
2. Start from a built-in preset if you want a familiar set of rules.
3. Open the modes settings and enable the type of match you intend to play.
4. Check the map selection and leave the maps you want in the rotation enabled.
5. Return to the lobby and review your settings before starting.

If you are practicing one map, choose the mode that supports it and narrow the map list to that map. Leaving a wide selection enabled is useful for a series of games, but makes it harder to guarantee that the next match starts on the map you planned. If you are recreating a normal scrimmage, start with a preset close to the rules you want and change only the options your group agreed on.

3. Put players in the right slots

Invite the players who are joining and check the roster once they arrive. Move people into their intended teams before starting. If someone only wants to watch, check whether the lobby has a spectator slot available. Review the team size settings if you cannot move a player into the side you intended. The preset and lobby limits affect the slots you can use.

For a private practice session, use Add AI if the option is available for your mode. Choose the team where you want the bots and check that you left room for the human players. A quick test with bots is handy when you want to make sure a map or mode launches. If you later invite a full group, check the roster again so bots do not occupy slots you meant to reserve.

4. Run a short test before the real match

Start once with a small group or a few bots. Verify that the intended map loads, both teams can spawn, and the match is using the rules you changed. For a training setup, test the specific thing the lobby exists to practice. If the aim is to practice a hero matchup, confirm that both players can select the heroes and that the round lasts long enough to try it.

If a setting causes an unexpected result, return to the lobby and adjust one option at a time. Keep a known working preset as your starting point. That gives you a quick way back if several changes interact and you cannot tell which one caused the problem.

5. Fix a lobby that will not start as intended

If your friend cannot join, check the access setting and whether there is an open slot. For an invite-only lobby, send a fresh invitation after confirming the correct account. If the wrong map loads, check which modes are enabled and whether several maps remain in the rotation. For a lobby that needs bots, look for Add AI before you start and confirm there is a free slot on the chosen team.

If the rules look completely different from what you expected, reopen Settings and check which preset you applied. Loading a preset can replace settings you changed earlier. Apply the preset first, then make your edits, and run another short test before bringing everyone back in.