Overwatch Payload (Escort) Game Mode Guide

Table of Contents

• 1. Rules
• 2. Overtime
• 3. Maps

Payload (formally known as Escort) is a Game Mode in which the Attacking team must push a vehicle along a predetermined path in a given amount of time. The attackers start off with 5 minutes, to which time is added as the payload reaches certain checkpoints along its path (there is a slight variation in the checkpoint set-up, so we detail it below).

In this section, we explain the Quick Play rules. In Competitive mode, while generally similar, there are some notable differences when it comes to determined the winner. We explain this in our Competitive Rules guide.

Once the payload reaches its final destination (Attacker victory) or the timer runs out (Defender victory), the second half of the map beings with the roles of Attacker and Defender being reversed.

For the payload to be pushed forward, at least 1 attacker must be in a small radius around it. If this is the case, the payload will move forward slowly. The more attackers are around the payload at a given time, the faster it will move.

When there is at least 1 defender around the payload at the same time as 1 or more attackers, the objective will be contested, and the payload will not move at all.

Furthermore, if there are no attackers near the payload, after a short amount of time, the payload will very slowly move backwards. This happens regardless of the presence of any defenders on the payload, and the payload cannot regress past a checkpoint that the attackers had already reached.

In this Game Mode, the attackers also benefit from a new spawn point with each checkpoint that the payload reaches. Moreover, as the payload reaches a certain checkpoint, the defenders will be pushed back to spawning as far back as possible, effectively at the location of the payload's final destination.

An important concept that applies to all Game Modes and maps is that of Overtime. The system is not entirely intuitive, so we feel it best to explain it here.

The purpose of Overtime is to prevent a team from losing a round while they are in control of or contesting the objective. This works slightly differently depending on the Game Mode, so we will break it down. However, it is true for all Game Modes that there is no limit to the amount of times Overtime can be triggered in a given round, nor to the total amount of time that the game can extended by due to Overtime.

On Payload maps, Overtime is triggered whenever the game timer expires but the attacking team still has at least 1 player pushing the payload forward. Overtime begins to run out as soon as no attackers are on the payload.

The time spent in Overtime on the way towards a checkpoint is not subtracted from the time gained by reaching the checkpoint.

There are currently 3 Payload maps in Overwatch.

• Dorado has 2 checkpoints. The first adds 3 minutes to the timer, while the second checkpoint adds 2 additional minutes.
• Route 66 also has 2 checkpoints, but each one adds only 2 minutes of additional time.
• Watchpoint: Gibraltar has 3 checkpoints, but the first checkpoint does not result in a new spawn location for the attackers or defenders. Each of the 3 checkpoints on this map adds 2 minutes of additional time.