A recent survey of Overwatch 2 has sparked consternation at the potential cost of cosmetics in the upcoming hero shooter, though Blizzard’s sky-high prices aren’t set in stone.
Blizzard recently sent a survey to selected members of the Overwatch 2 community to gauge their expectations about the cost of cosmetics. As captured by @Portergauge in twitter (opens in new tab), included some remarkably high prices. Players were asked if they would be willing to pay $45 (about £36 / AU$65) for a Mythic Rare skin, $24.99 (about £20 / AU$36) for a slightly less rare Legendary skin, or up to $9.99 (about £30). 10 / AU$14) for a visual weapon amulet.
The Overwatch community’s response to the survey was largely negative, with many fans on the reddit (opens in new tab) expressing shock at high prices. While Blizzard is ditching loot boxes in Overwatch 2 in favor of a new battle pass system and rotating cosmetics store, it’s still unclear whether this system change will accompany an overhaul in in-game pricing.
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Blizzard has since tried to ease players’ concerns by clarifying that the prices listed in the survey are not final. In fact, participants may have seen different speculative prices in the questionnaire.
“This survey is entirely aimed at better understanding player preferences for different types of Overwatch 2 cosmetics,” Blizzard said. IGN (opens in new tab).
“Prices displayed in the survey were randomized by user and are not indicative of the final price. We plan to share details about our Shop and Battle Pass system closer to launch on October 4th.”
Regardless of what price Blizzard sets, the idea that it has even considered selling a skin for $45 may still worry fans. The developer has only recently faced a wave of backlash over how to handle Diablo Immortal’s microtransactions.
The action RPG was severely criticized for its aggressive monetization, which repeatedly asked players to spend money on gameplay buffs and cosmetics. These microtransactions weren’t cheap either, and hidden progression limits punished free-to-play players from advancing through the game like their paid peers.
Overwatch fans will have to wait anxiously to see if the hero shooter sequel follows a similar course.