Overwatch 2 brings loot boxes back from the grave

On February 18, Overwatch 2’s Season 15 will bring loot boxes back so players can “earn a variety of cosmetics” for weekly and event in-game rewards.

As Blizzard Entertainment explains it, the loot boxes will be transparent and players their chances of obtaining cosmetics. The developer said each box will feature an in-game item with a value of Rare or higher, an Epic item within five consecutive boxes, and a Legendary within 20 consecutive boxes.

The original Overwatch featured random-chance loot boxes as part of its monetization model, wherein players could spend real money on the digital items. While profitable for Activision Blizzard, some like the Belgian government considered this a potential form of gambling. Blizzard later removed paid loot boxes from versions of the hero shooter sold in both Belgium and China.

In 2022, the developer eliminated paid loot boxes from all versions of the game, and made it so players could solely earn them through leveling up via gameplay rather than spending money. Since launch, Overwatch 2 has featured an in-game shop that explicitly shows players what they’re buying, and has a rotating selection of items to purchase.

Blizzard’s blog does not mention how much players can spend on loot boxes, or how this will affect the game’s seasonal rewards going forward.

New year, new Overwatch 2

What else is changing in Overwatch 2? In a 30-minute video, Blizzard outlined a series of changes and updates to come, with the most significant being Perks.

These Hero-specific bonuses come after a Hero has leveled up mid-match. The first level up will feature “lighter upgrades” like cooldowns or passives, and the second will include major “gameplay-shifting perks.” As an example, Torbjorn players will have the option to choose between setting turrets on walls and ceilings or calling in a single, Level 3 turret.

Pre-release, Overwatch 2’s much-touted PvE mode would have let players level up their Heroes and upgrade them with in-game perks, which this new system appears to be a rework of. Blizzard has since begun incorporating elements from that scrapped mode, such as seasonal story missions, into the hero shooter.

This will also sound familiar to those who play Apex Legends, which featured a similar mid-match leveling system with its 20th Season in early 2024.

More information on Overwatch 2’s upcoming changes, including the next two Heroes, can be read here.

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