Following the last season of Overwatch League, Blizzard has decided that the current Overwatch League MVP skin will be the last released. This was a disappointment to professionals and players everywhere. However, Overwatch League players are hopeful that the seasonal skin releases will be replaced with something just as good.
The most recent Overwatch League MVP skin released was accompanied by the announcement that it would be the last. This was disheartening to players everywhere, as the current skin, Byung-Sun "Fleta" Kim's Echo skin, has received tremendous praise. The decision to do so was explained by the vice president of Overwatch esports, Jon Spector, on Reddit because of the emphasis on team play in the game, rather than the highlight of an individual.
Overwatch League players remained hopeful that something special will replace the seasonal MVP skin. The Houston Outlaws' Jacob "Jake" Lyons was quoted as saying "I know Counter-Strike does things where like, if a certain historic play happens on a certain part of a map, they’ll put a graffiti there. The casual players might not even realize what it’s for, but for the people who know and the players who did it, it’s a reminder of that amazing moment."
With Overwatch 2 still a ways away, content for Overwatch has been slow beyond character skins and the Overwatch League. Spector mentioned that there will be more Overwatch League skins released this year "than ever before." This should excite players looking for more Overwatch League references within the game itself, and energize the connection between professional and casual alike.
While the MVP skin will be missed, Spector's comments point to more content being provided to energize the fanbase and grow the league's fandom. Lyons' comments point to a way to immortalize a moment in the game, which could go a long way to connecting in-game moments for casual players to professionals. A knowledgeable player might recognize the spot and attempt a similar scenario with their team. While the suggestion hangs in the air, there has been no subsequent announcement on the matter.
Overwatch has been a part of the gaming vernacular for the past 5 years and has been a dominant face in the esports landscape. It remains to be seen if Overwatch League players will receive a viable alternative to the MVP skin, but the league still has a lot of content to come out, as well as a new season starting April 16. The "Fleta" Echo skin will remain as the final MVP skin, but not the final Overwatch League mention in-game.
Overwatch is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.