Overwatch 2 is making it easier and cheaper for you to get older skins

To coincide with the release of season 3, Overwatch 2 is reintroducing Overwatch credits, giving players ways to earn those credits via battle pass progression, and adding Overwatch’s epic and legendary skins to its shop at reduced prices. Altogether, this currency overhaul is meant to address the long-standing complaint that the new cash shop placed one of Overwatch’s most unique and desirable features — its well-designed skins — behind a paywall that was just too expensive.

As Overwatch season 2 nears its end, the developers published a blog highlighting their takeaways from the season. They addressed new hero Ramattra, including the tweaks they’ve made to his abilities, competitive ladder updates, and changes coming to rewards for seasonal events. But perhaps one thing that stood out the most was the changes the team is making to its skin shop known in-game as the Hero Shop.

“In Season 3, we’re bringing back Overwatch Credits, which had been previously shown as Legacy Credits and been unearnable in Overwatch 2,” the post read. “Now, all players can earn up to 1500 credits as free rewards and another 500 credits as premium rewards spread throughout Season 3 Battle Pass. We are also adding more uses for your Credits so you can choose from many potential rewards.”

Credits were phased out in the jump from Overwatch to Overwatch 2. You got them in loot boxes as a random reward and could use them to purchase cosmetics like skins, voice lines, and sprays. When Overwatch 2 subsumed Overwatch, you kept your credits and could still use them, but only on Overwatch prime cosmetics you didn’t yet have. Anything new required the purchase of the shiny new premium currency Overwatch coins. Ever since Overwatch 2 launched, players have complained that shop prices are a bit expensive. Players can earn Overwatch coins without buying them, but they’re awarded at such low rates it would take several months of grinding to earn enough to buy one of the new skins.

The developers were aware of the complaints and are making changes by reintroducing credits, adding “nearly all” epic and legendary Overwatch skins to the shop and making them always available, and lowering their price.

According to the blog, “these changes mean all players can earn a legendary skin of their choice each season from the Hero Gallery skins just for playing normally and without needing to make any purchases.”

This does at least partly address the concern that it just wasn’t possible for casual players to earn anything in the game without ponying up a bunch of cash. But while this may satisfy players who haven’t completed their Overwatch collection, unless Overwatch 2 skin prices come down or the team ups the number of coins you can earn, that Star Sheep Orisa will still be out of me and my wallet’s reach.