Blizzard is finally making it easier for new Overwatch 2 players to unlock heroes—for a price

More bang for your buck.

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Image via Blizzard Entertainment

Since its release as a free-to-play title in late 2022, Overwatch 2 has earned a lot of criticism from the new players diving in on the subject of its tedious hero unlock grind. Season five is going live today, though, and Blizzard has unveiled its future plans to make the process of unlocking heroes—both legacy and new—a lot easier for newcomers.

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In a June 12 blog breaking down all the new features coming with Overwatch 2’s fifth season and the upcoming Overwatch 2: Invasion update, Blizzard also revealed two new bundles that will be available when Overwatch 2: Invasion launches on Aug. 10. The Overwatch 2: Hero Collection will let new players skip the 150 match grind currently needed to earn all the legacy heroes at a $5 price tag, and the Complete Hero Collection bundle will also throw in Overwatch 2’s new heroes for $20.

It’s a reasonable asking price almost a year into the game’s life cycle, even if not all players will be willing to open up their wallets when the free path to unlocking the heroes is still available. But these bundles also feature a lot of bonus content as well to make them more valuable gateway purchases for those trying out Overwatch 2 for the first time when PvE releases on Aug. 10.

The $5 Hero Collection will not only net players all of the legacy heroes from the original Overwatch but also three legacy Epic skins and 1,500 Overwatch Credits. Overwatch Credits won’t be able to buy everything available in the Hero Gallery, but it will still allow the purchase of a few additional cosmetics for the legacy heroes that a player has just been given access to.

Related: Overwatch 2 is getting PvE, but it’s going to cost you

For the more expensive $20 Complete Hero Collection bundle, players will get access to Overwatch 2’s six new heroes on top of the legacy cast. This includes the new support hero that is also scheduled for release on Aug. 10 alongside Invasion. To sweeten the deal, this bundle comes packaged with 1,000 Overwatch Coins that can be spent in the premium store and three legacy Legendary skins.

Blizzard will be hoping the more accessible methods of acquisition for the heroes on its roster will encourage more players to explore what Overwatch 2 has to offer—especially with the bundles coming in parallel to the much anticipated PvE experiences that the community has been waiting for. The Overwatch 2: Hero Collection and Complete Hero Collection bundles will be available to purchase on Aug. 10.

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Alexis Walker
Alexis is a freelance journalist hailing from the UK. After a number of years competing on international esports stages, she transitioned into writing about the industry in 2021 and quickly found a home to call her own within the vibrant communities of the looter shooter genre. Now she provides coverage for games such as Destiny 2, Halo Infinite and Apex Legends.