Will Overwatch 2 have loot boxes?

Overwatch 2 is about to launch in free-to-play form soon, and many players are wondering if the game will have loot boxes.

The first instalment, for better and worse, was hugely responsible for popularising loot boxes in mainstream gaming – to the point where even governments had to intervene.

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The short answer is simple – but if you’re hanging onto your last Overwatch 1 loot boxes hoping they’ll transfer to the sequel – read on.

Will Overwatch 2 have loot boxes?

No. Overwatch 2 will not have loot boxes. This information was confirmed during the Overwatch 2 reveal event back in June.

Instead, you’ll be able to earn new cosmetic items through a couple of methods – this includes earning them through the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass – which will have both a free and a Premium track.

You’ll also be able to buy specific cosmetics directly through the in-game store. There’ll be bundles rotated every week around different themes, and also ‘personalised’ bundles based around the heroes you play most.

To buy items from the Overwatch shop, you’ll need Overwatch Coins, which can be earned by completing Weekly Challenges – or bought from your platform’s store for real world money. 1000 Overwatch Coins will cost approximately $10 USD or your local equivalent.

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What happens to my Overwatch 1 loot boxes?

Any loot boxes you’ve been hording in Overwatch 1 should have already been opened by now. They were due to be opened on September 14 2022 – with all cosmetics assigned to their relevant characters.

If you’ve earned any loot boxes since September 14, these will all be opened automatically on the launch of Overwatch 2. At this time, all cosmetic rewards from them will be able to be found in your Hero Gallery.

Loot box sales ended on August 30, 2022.

What happens to my Overwatch 1 credits?

Original Overwatch credits carry over into Overwatch 2. You’ll be able to spend these in the Hero Gallery on ‘core launch’ cosmetic items. These are NOT the same as Overwatch coins, however.

Some items will be available to buy with Coins, some with Credits and some with your choice of either. (Though you cannot partially buy in Coins and make up the rest in Credits, for example).

However, there will be some ‘always available’ items in the gallery for the 32 original heroes from Overwatch 1 in the sequel – and some launch items in the new cosmetic classes as well.

There will be a separate tab in the shop to spend Overwatch League tokens.

For more on Overwatch 2 you can check on our release hub here. We’ve also got information on preloading Overwatch 2 – if you’re on PC – here, and our Overwatch 2 character guide here.

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