What was Overwatch's first Capture the Flag mode called?

Overwatch’s first Capture the Flag mode was called Capture the Rooster. It launched in January 2017 as the signature brawl of the Year of the Rooster, the game’s first Lunar New Year seasonal event.

The mode used a traditional two-flag objective on Lijiang Tower. Each team defended a flag near its base while trying to seize the opponent’s flag and carry it home. A team won by making three captures, or by leading when the match timer expired. The map’s three areas—Lijiang Garden, Control Center, and Night Market—were adapted for the event.

The name is easy to confuse with later generic Capture the Flag playlists. “Capture the Rooster” was the original event-specific title, not merely a nickname for the mode. Blizzard had considered adding Capture the Flag during development but hesitated because Overwatch’s highly mobile heroes could make the objective difficult to balance. The eventual brawl became popular enough to return and to inspire broader custom-game versions.