Blizzard has revealed the Approximate time new players will need to unlock original Overwatch 1 characters: About 100 hours.
They themselves have said that it can be overwhelming to see so many characters at first when starting the game, so to help this, functions will be progressively introduced for those who create a new account in Overwatch 2.
Blizzard calls this the “New User Experience.” Not only this, but also the competitive mode will be locked for new users and will not be available until it is released. Complete 50 quick matches.
Likewise, in-game voice chat will also need to be unlocked
These changes will take effect for anyone that a new account be created from October 4, 2022. Blizzard understands that these changes are ideal to allow a better gaming experience for new users, allowing their entry in a fluid and progressive way.