With Overwatch 2 embracing the live service format, it is no surprise that seasonal events are proving to be a major component of its new style. Like the game itself, though, they have been a mixed bag. Halloween Terror offered a great new mode with Wrath of the Bride, but only a few more spooky skins were added during the event’s duration. Battle for Olympus was fresh and its leaderboard proved fun, but unfortunately, its newness helps make it an exception. Winter Wonderland and Lunar New Year not only brought no new brawls, but the skin count in each was startlingly low.
Though players had given Halloween Terror the benefit of the doubt since it started very shortly after Overwatch 2 entered early access, it sadly seems like this will be the new norm for returning events. Brawls will likely continue to be recycled, while never-before-seen skins will be limited to 3 or less. With Lunar New Year having just one fresh skin thus far, there is not much to be excited about, which is a far cry from the original Overwatch. Going forward, Blizzard should make sure that old events do not feel as empty as they have thus far.
More Earnable Skins in Overwatch 2’s Returning Events
Though Blizzard heard the complaints after Halloween Terror and brought back earnable skins via seasonal challenges, players have only been able to get one outfit per event. Worse, these skins are not new additions to work for, but cosmetics added in past years like Kkachi Echo and Winged Victory Mercy. Though these skins may be fun to collect for newcomers or those that missed out on them, players who have been invested in the series for some time could already have them - meaning there is no big reward to strive for during the event.
While a first step would be to ensure that each event’s earnable skin is new, it would be better if Blizzard was able to revert to the old style where players could get three Epic skins just by playing the game. During many of the original Overwatch’s events, players would be able to earn a free outfit every week by playing or winning matches. These free skins spanned the duration of the event, and since Epics are usually just detailed recolors with minor additions or changes, players would still be motivated to buy loot boxes or play for longer to get the new Legendaries.
Ultimately, the lack of three Epic skins to chase is the biggest downside of the Overwatch 2 event approach. With the old style, players had a reason to play a bit every single week, as new rewards could constantly be obtained. The new way of doing things is simply less exciting, as once players complete the challenges required for the skin a few days after the event begins, said event becomes an afterthought for its remaining runtime. To shake things up, Blizzard could unlock new challenges and skins to acquire as the event goes on, similar to how Fall Guys handles certain events.
Fresh Legendaries in Overwatch 2’s Old Events
However, the main draw is always going to be Legendary skins, and Blizzard has to start making sure its old events bring several top tier skins to unlock. Thus far, only Battle for Olympus, the brand-new event, has been a success on this front. Every returning event has been lacking in the Legendary department, providing a few new Legendaries at most - or in a worst case scenario like Lunar New Year, none at all.
Hopefully, with the multiplayer portion available and Overwatch 2’s PvE content on the way, Blizzard will be able to focus on making these events more exciting next time they come around. Back during the original Overwatch era, events served as a time to get excited and felt like a proper celebration of whatever time period they were focused on. Recently, events have felt like something that is being released purely because it is expected, as the game does not feel as different as it used to when events were ongoing. For Summer Games, Archives, and Anniversary, hopefully Blizzard corrects its mistake and provides numerous Epic skins to earn alongside various Legendaries to buy.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.