Overwatch 2 is returning to Loot Boxes, and everyone seems excited

General sentiment has been down on Overwatch since the number 2 was added to it. A lot of the reasons why are completely valid. But it always felt like a Bizarro-world take that one of the problems was the REMOVAL of Loot Boxes. Blizzard’s corrected that now.

In a announcing most of Overwatch 2‘s plans for the year, Blizzard discussed a lot of upcoming content. New heroes, new modes, and a new Perks system for the main game all look to be fundamentally interesting additions. Many fans are excited, be it in the YouTube comments or on the Overwatch subreddit. They’re even happy to see the return of Loot Boxes.

Loot Boxes have been a controversial topic for more than a decade, ultimately ending up with a lot of games axing them due to a number of factors. One of the largest being the overwhelmingly negative response to their inclusion in games. However, Blizzard’s removal of them in favor of a more typical Battle Pass was met with a tidal wave of comments like “I can’t believe I miss Loot Boxes,” primarily due to the poor reward system implemented with the Overwatch 2‘s many changes.

The interesting part of this is the fact that Loot Boxes won’t be for sale, at least not in most Western markets. There is a lot of speculation that the whole thing returning was done for the game’s return to China, in partnership with NetEase. The sentimental and legal conversations around Loot Box-type mechanics over there is very different. But for the rest of us, these will be regularly earned rewards. You can obtain them from weekly objectives and during events, as well as part of the Battle Pass. Free versions of the pass will reward 1 Legendary Loot Box, guaranteeing one of the highest-quality skins in the game. If you buy the Pass, you’ll have an additional 2 Legendary boxes to pick up on.

While it’s easy to be skeptical upon hearing this news, this seems like a good thing overall. Extra rewards for players are never a bad thing. Nobody really wants to pay for voice lines and sprays, but getting them as random rewards just feels better. This seems like a fundamentally solid compromise and a beneficial addition as the game tries to right its course moving forward.