This year's BlizzCon is unlike any other. The annual celebration of Blizzard games, which has moved to a virtual platform dubbed "BlizzConline" this year due to COVID-19 related concerns, marks the 30th anniversary of the company's founding. In those 30 years, Blizzard Entertainment has been responsible for popular games including the Warcraft and StarCraft franchise as well as the multiplayer first-person shooter Overwatch.
In honor of the major milestone, the Celebration Pack is now available to purchase via the Blizzard Store. Featuring three different tiers - Essentials, Heroic, and Epic - the pack includes Hearthstone card packs, new pets and mounts for Diablo 3 and World of Warcraft, five Overwatch loot boxes, and much more. One offering that has particularly excited fans is a new legendary skin for Overwatch hero Reinhardt, included in the Heroic ($39.99 USD) and Epic ($59.99 USD) pack levels.
Dubbed "Raynhardt," the skin pays homage to legendary StarCraft marshal-turned-rebel Jim Raynor. It turns the tank hero's traditional armor into a CMC Powered Combat Suit as seen in the StarCraft franchise. The ex-Crusader's usual massive hammer weapon is powered up with the addition of high-intensity jet engines and a bayonet. This is not the first StarCraft skin to appear in Overwatch, with sniper Widowmaker getting a Sarah Kerrigan-inspired look in 2018.
But that's not all. Fans were quick to notice a seemingly small detail which in fact differentiates "Raynhardt" from every other skin in the game. Something very special happens when the armored hero uses his shield in battle: his visor moves with him. When the shield isn't active, Reinhardt's visor is open, revealing that his Jim Raynor cosplay extends to his facial features. However, when the shield comes up, the visor snaps down, as "Raynhardt" protects his vulnerable face from attacks.
The detail was highlighted via a post by Reddit user Nine9s9_9 on the Overwatch subreddit community.
I never knew this when I brought and play with this Raynhardt skin. As when you put your shield up, your helmet goes down. from Overwatch
This extra function has received praise from fans, as it shows the care and effort put into the special anniversary skin. No other Reinhardt cosmetic features such elaborate visor movement. While the small detail is difficult to notice amidst the chaos of a traditional Overwatch battlefield, it still represents a neat little bonus for fans of Reinhardt. As the character recently received buffs which further increase his power in combat, it's likely this new skin will see a lot of use.
The three tiers of the Celebration Pack will remain available for purchase in the Blizzard Store until September 15, 2021. Purchase is limited to one pack per Blizzard account. More anniversary-related announcements, possibly including additional new Overwatch swag, will likely be revealed during BlizzCon 2021, which kicks off on February 19 at 2PM PT / 5PM ET. There could even be some long-awaited news regarding the upcoming Overwatch 2.
Overwatch is out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.