Which law in Overwatch lore dismantled the Overwatch organization?

The Petras Act was the law that dismantled the Overwatch organization. After years of public criticism, the United Nations outlawed further Overwatch activity through this fictional measure.

The decision followed the exposure of Blackwatch, Overwatch’s covert branch, whose operations included kidnappings, assassinations, and other alleged abuses. The scandal triggered an international investigation and intensified conflict inside the organization.

A massive explosion then destroyed Overwatch headquarters in Switzerland during a confrontation involving Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes. The blast supposedly killed both leaders, but their later identities became Soldier: 76 and Reaper. The headquarters explosion did not itself legally dissolve Overwatch; the Petras Act completed that process.

The name is sometimes confused with “Petras Accords” in fan discussions, but the quiz’s stored wording, “Petras Act,” is the standard name used in the game’s lore. Overwatch is set six years after it was signed, when Winston begins recalling former agents despite the ban.