Overwatch 2 Resurrects Loot Boxes: A New Chapter in Reward Mechanics

Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

Starting February 18, Overwatch 2 Season 15 will reinstate loot boxes, allowing dedicated players to “earn a range of cosmetics” as rewards for weekly and match participation.

As described by Blizzard Entertainment, the loot boxes will be transparent, showing players their odds of obtaining cosmetics. The developer stated that each box will contain an in-game item, provide a Rare or better item, include an Epic item over 5 consecutive boxes, and a Legendary item over 20 consecutive boxes.

Originally, Overwatch included random-chance loot boxes as part of its monetization strategy, where players could also spend real money on virtual goods. Despite success for Activision Blizzard, some entities, such as the Belgian government, perceived this as a form of gambling. Consequently, Blizzard later eliminated paid loot boxes from editions of the hero shooter in both Belgium and China.

In 2022, the developer eliminated paid loot boxes from all game versions, allowing players to obtain them solely through leveling up via gameplay instead of making purchases. Since launch, Overwatch 2 has featured an in-game store that plainly shows players what they are buying, with a rotating selection of items.

Blizzard’s blog does not specify how much players can spend on loot boxes, nor how this might influence the game’s future seasonal rewards.

New year, fresh Overwatch 2

What additional changes are coming to Overwatch 2? In a 30-minute video, Blizzard outlined a range of changes and updates to be implemented, the most significant being Perks.

These Hero-specific bonuses activate after a Hero levels up during a match. The first level will provide “minor enhancements” such as cooldown reductions or passives, while the second level will include significant “gameplay-altering perks.” For example, Torbjorn players might have the option to choose between placing turrets on walls or ceilings or calling in a Level 3 turret.

Prior to launch, Overwatch 2’s prominently advertised PvE mode which would have allowed players to level up their Heroes and enhance them with in-game perks, of which this new system seems to be a variation. Blizzard has since begun incorporating elements from that canceled mode, such as seasonal story missions, into the hero shooter.

This may also sound familiar to players of Apex Legends, which featured a similar mid-match leveling system during its Twentieth Season in early 2024.

Further details on Overwatch 2’s forthcoming changes, including the next two Heroes, can be found here.

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