Cassie Gardner 
Blizzard finds itself in hot water with fans once again after special Diablo 4-themed skins for Overwatch 2 were exclusively released as part of a $40 bundle.
Overwatch 2 is a new game but it’s already a steady source of drama. Players have taken umbrage with a variety of issues in the game, including how difficult it is to unlock skins. With the introduction of the battle pass system, players need to grind for levels in order to get rewards, with many of those locked behind a “season pass” paywall. Seasonal events in Overwatch 2 are no different, with players potentially needing to spend tens of hours in the game to unlock cosmetics.
Included in the Overwatch 2 Season 7 Ultimate Battle Pass Bundle are the Lilith skin for Moira and the Inarius skin for Pharah. Lilith and Inarius are major characters in Diablo 4, Blizzard’s other recently released but consistently controversial title. At the moment there is no other way to acquire these skins, either with in-game currency or real-world money.
Overwatch 2 Season 7 bundle sparks controversy with Diablo 4 skins
The Diablo 4 skins for Overwatch 2 Season 7 are exclusively available during Overwatch 2 Season 7, and only in the Ultimate Battle Pass Bundle.
Fans called out Blizzard for this decision, venting that there wasn’t even an option to use premium Battle Points. Players can save up the in-game currency to buy season passes, but this isn’t an option for the Ultimate Battle Pass Bundle for Overwatch 2 Season 7. That means the Overwatch 2 skins based on Diablo 4’s Lilith and Inarius can only be obtained by spending around $40.
These skins are given at the point of purchase and the player is not required to level up the corresponding season pass to obtain the rewards. The full list of items in the Overwatch 2 Ultimate Battle Pass Bundle for Season 7 includes:
- Premium Battle Pass +20 Tiers
- Lilith Moira legendary skin
- Inarius Pharah legendary skin
- Pumpkin Bastion epic skin
- 2,000 Overwatch Coins
- Other Season 7 cosmetics (one highlight intro, two sprays)
2,000 Overwatch Coins is the equivalent of $19.99 in the online store. With that amount of coins, the purchaser could additionally buy one legendary skin, two epic skins, or just shy of 7 rare skins. While this technically means that players are only spending $20 on the skins, fans are still heated that their in-game currency can’t be used on Overwatch 2’s premium items.
Price of Overwatch 2 skins continually frustrates players
Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 have seen steady criticism from players since their launches. From the very beginning, Blizzard was under fire for the comparatively expensive skins in Overwatch 2 as compared to the original Overwatch.
Players can complete weekly challenges to earn the in-game currency Overwatch Coins. In theory, this allows players to unlock skins without spending any money. Unfortunately, the maximum earnings is only 60 Overwatch Coins per account, per week. With Overwatch 2 skins priced upwards of 1,900 Overwatch Coins, this means it would take a true free-to-play gamer thirty-two weeks of grinding to afford one legendary skin.
Blizzard adjusted the cost of legacy cosmetics using Legacy Coins in November 2022 after sustained backlash from fans. Legacy Coins are obtained by linking an Overwatch 1 account with a current Overwatch 2 account, meaning only a certain number could ever be earned per account. The price adjustment meant more affordable skins for longtime players, but newcomers were left wanting.
There is the possibility that these new Diablo 4 skins in Overwatch 2 will become available for purchase using in-game currency later. Overwatch 2 allows players to purchase certain event skins from the store for limited times, Blizzard might extend the same courtesy to these Diablo 4-inspired skins at some point, but this could take years to happen.
