The new monetization system of Overwatch 2, which saw Blizzard’s hero shooter shift from a one-time payment model to a free-to-play game with cosmetics purchasable, has gone down so poorly that disgruntled players have actually started demanding the return of modern gaming’s most-hated features: the loot box.
Though the death of the loot box—a phenomenon also occurring across other video game titles—is generally a favorable outcome, some longtime Overwatch players have actually begun to miss the boxes.
The topic was sparked on July 25, when one Overwatch gamer shared an image of a glowing loot box and admitted they “actually miss” the old ‘RNG’ rewards system.
Towards the end of the original Overwatch, loot boxes had become completely useless for a majority of players. The boxes were full of random cosmetics and you could even get duplicates, meaning once players played enough that they owned nearly every item, there was no point in opening boxes.
Some streamers even made an event out of opening their thousands of accumulated loot boxes in the days leading up to Overwatch 2’s release.
Then, loot boxes seemed like an outdated idea—a rewards concept that was really only exciting for new players who were yet to build up their cosmetics wardrobe. Older players instead focused on using credits to buy special drops, or played the game to get all of the event skins.
Yet one feature of the loot box has become a sore spot for Overwatch 2 players. In the original game, all you had to do to build up a hefty pile of glittering loot boxes was simply to play the game. Now, it doesn’t matter how much you play; in order to get desirable cosmetics you have to spend money.
“I too miss being rewarded for playing the game and having fun,” said one player, who garnered the most upvotes.
Now, even though the base levels of the battle pass are free in Overwatch 2, all of the “worthwhile items,” according to one player, are paywalled.
Though loot boxes did receive criticism during the original Overwatch’s life cycle, particularly because of the many duplicates players inevitably ended up with, their best feature was they were free and allowed players to have at least some customization, even if the skins weren’t always rare.
“I don’t think people miss lootboxes as a concept or as a game mechanic, because they were never ‘fun’. They were randomized and oftentimes quite disappointing,” another Overwatch player weighed in. “Ultimately, I think what some people truly miss is the ability to collect and amass cosmetics, without paying a cent beyond the initial game purchase.”
This loot box longing does seem based on nostalgia, and players recognize it wouldn’t be feasible with Overwatch 2’s monetization. But that doesn’t stop them from dreaming of that exciting golden glow.
