Blizzard announces Overwatch 2 Credits are making a return as the developer aims to increase free rewards earned by playing. While it might be one of the best free games on PC right now, the debate around Overwatch 2 microtransactions has marred the first few months of Blizzard’s FPS sequel. The return of legacy Overwatch Credits is one of several changes aimed at turning that narrative around, with more ways to earn skins and rewards as we head into Overwatch 2 Season 3.
Reflecting on season two, Blizzard addresses the release of Ramattra and the tank’s initial struggle to find a spot, only to become one of the stronger picks for the role after mid-season adjustments. However, it notes that Ramattra’s ultimate, Annihilation, leads to some “unhealthy gameplay scenarios” due to its potentially infinite duration while in range of enemies. As such, a Ramattra nerf will see the ability timer tick down more slowly while close to opponents, rather than pausing entirely.
Blizzard also discusses the limited time events in season two, noting that it “did not expect players would pursue all hero titles” during the recent Overwatch 2 Battle for Olympus event. This, the team explains, is why title challenges had such high requirements. It notes that the returning Winter Wonderland and Lunar New Year events disappointed, though emphasises that it wanted players new to Overwatch to have the chance to experience them.
Overwatch Credits, previously displayed as Legacy Credits, are carried over from the first game and have so far been unearnable in Overwatch 2. Instead, purchases are tied to the new Overwatch Coins, which are awarded in very small amounts for completing weekly challenges or can be bought for real money. Blizzard says it recognises that Overwatch 2 doesn’t feel rewarding to play as a result, and is bringing Overwatch Credits back.
You’ll be able to earn 1500 Credits as free rewards in the Overwatch 2 season 3 battle pass, with a further 500 Credits included on the premium rewards track. In addition to this, Blizzard says it is “adding more uses for your Credits,” noting that many long-time players have very large balances of this currency and that the team is “looking into additional ways for players to use Credits in the future.”
Alongside this, “nearly all the epic and legendary-tier skins prior to Overwatch 2’s launch will always be available in the hero gallery for purchase with either Overwatch Coins or Credits.” This will include seasonal event skins, meaning that you’ll be able to pick up fan-favourite Overwatch skins such as Witch Mercy and the beach-ready Surf ‘N’ Splash Torbjörn regardless of whether the event is live.
These legendary skins will also see their price lowered to 1500 Overwatch Coins or Credits, meaning that players will be able to earn enough to buy a legendary skin of their choice from the seasonal battle pass. Hopefully the seasonal restrictions will also be lifted on other cosmetics such as voice lines, emotes, and victory poses, though we get no confirmation here – we have reached out to Blizzard for clarification, and will update if we hear more.
In closing, Blizzard teases that it’s looking into more ways to “better celebrate players match to match” and says it is looking at a revamp of the beloved ‘on fire’ system that highlights players who are firing on all cylinders during a match, along with a “hero-based progression system that would showcase the energy players put into playing each hero.”
While we wait for season 3 to arrive, take a look at our Overwatch 2 tier list for the best characters in the current meta. Blizzard has also announced Overwatch 2 competitive changes to better highlight how MMR works. If you’re looking for more of the best FPS games or the best multiplayer games on PC, we’ve got plenty of fantastic options for you.