Overwatch 2 skins could be up to $45 – more than the price of the original game-Michael Beckwith-Entertainment – Metro

We’re at a point where cosmetics cost more than some games (pic: Blizzard)

Fans are worried that Overwatch 2 will pull a Valorant and charge an obscene amount for its cosmetics.

Unlike the first game, Overwatch 2 is not only adopting a free-to-play model but it’s also doing away with loot boxes. Instead of paying for random cosmetics, you’ll be able to just buy the skins you want from an in-game shop.

While a welcome change, players are now concerned about the pricing for those skins. Nothing’s been confirmed, but Blizzard Entertainment appears to be toying with the possibility of charging upwards of $45 for them.

This comes from a survey sent out to Overwatch 2 players (the game is currently in beta), one which asks how likely they would be to purchase Mythic skins for $44.99 (just under £37) and Legendary skins for $24.99 (just over £20).

For context, Legendary skins are the rarest type of skin you can unlock in the first game and completely change a character’s outfit and/or weapon. Mythic skins are brand new for Overwatch 2 and look to be even rarer than Legendary ones, but that’s all we know for now.

It’s worth noting that the original Overwatch, at full retail price, costs £34.99 (at least on the PlayStation store). So, Blizzard is interested in selling you cosmetics that are more expensive than the first game. For that matter, the more recent Elden Ring is only £49.99 in its entirety, with no DLC or microtransactions at all.

There’s no guarantee Blizzard will go through with it if the survey responses are overwhelmingly negative, but the fact that it’s considering these prices to begin with is cause for concern.

Comparisons have been drawn with Apex Legends, which has also been criticised for how much it charges for skins. However, Apex Legends’ most expensive skins cost 1,800 Apex coins, which is the equivalent of around £14 to £15.

Blizzard’s prospective prices are closer to how Riot Games’ Valorant handles its weapon skins. According to the Valorant wiki, the most expensive weapon skins cost 4,950 Valorant Points. You can purchase 4,725 points for £45, so you’re essentially paying slightly more than that for what is just a cosmetic.

Unsurprisingly, responses to the survey on Twitter are anything but positive. A Reddit thread is equally frustrated, but also expects Blizzard to go through with the prices anyway, because enough people who can afford them will happily part with their money.

After all, Blizzard’s Diablo Immortal was savaged by fans for how much money it tries to squeeze out of you (to the point where some argue it’s pay-to-win). Yet it appears to have been incredibly successful regardless.

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Although there are no exact numbers from Blizzard itself, Diablo Immortal is estimated to have made £20 million within the first two weeks of release.

Overwatch cosmetics don’t affect gameplay and since the game is free-to-play it needs to make its money back somehow. However, $45 for a costume change (one you won’t even see since it’s a first person game) still seems over the top.

Overwatch 2 releases on October 4 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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