Overwatch’s new Pink Mercy skin—a charity skin with proceeds going to breast cancer research—turns the Swiss healer into a proper magical girl, glittering sounds and all.
The skin costs $15, with 100 percent of the money earned donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It’s pricey for an Overwatch skin, but for a good cause. The skin isn’t just looks, either: Blizzard took care to give Mercy all new sound effects that make her sparkle like Sailor Moon.
Magical girls are a genre of manga and anime created in Japan, though its influence is seen worldwide. Sailor Moon is the most prominent, international magical girl title—with feminine, teenage girls using their superpowers to fight evil. Of course, the genre encompasses much more than that singular trope, but one thing is always certain: the girls have powers and are very powerful.
There are dozens of new sounds in Overwatch specifically for the new Pink Mercy skin, including for healing, resurrecting, and even just equipping the skin in the menu.
The new skin was introduced to Overwatch on May 8 alongside an emotional video from Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan. “Breast cancer is the most common cancer that affects women,” Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan said in a Developer Update posted to YouTube. “Many of us on the Overwatch team have friends have family that have been personally affected by this devastating disease.”
Pink Mercy will be available for purchase until May 21. One the campaign is over, Blizzard will share how much money has been raised for charity.
