Discover the disappointing collaboration in Overwatch 2, highlighting lackluster skins and rising trends of laziness, contrasting with more innovative rivals like Valorant.

I've dumped more money into Overwatch 2 than I'd ever admit to my financial advisor. My credit card practically has calluses from all the skin purchases, and my gaming group has witnessed my shameless excitement every time a new collaboration drops. It's 2025, and I'm still here, battle pass maxed out since 2023's relaunch, ready to throw money at Blizzard like I'm at a digital strip club.

The Shallow Dive of G.I. Joe

When I first heard about the G.I. Joe collaboration, I wasn't exactly doing backflips of nostalgia—it's not really my thing—but I understood the appeal. The marriage of Overwatch's gun-toting heroes with the iconic 80s action figures seemed logical, especially with this season's arcade and 8-bit aesthetic.

But holy disappointment, Batman! This collab feels like when you order something amazing online and get a sad, deflated version in real life. The execution is so lackluster that my wallet actually sighed with relief for once. And that's saying something—my wallet usually cowers in fear whenever Overwatch updates.

The $20 Question: Where's the Beef?

Let me break it down for you: Reaper's Cobra Commander skin is basically his default look with a helmet swap and some color changes. That's it. That's the $20 skin. I'm not kidding!

It's like Blizzard copied their own homework and expected us not to notice. Where are the unique voice lines? The special sound effects? The anything that justifies the price of what could be a decent meal for two? My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.

I mean, c'mon! Twenty bucks should get me more than a helmet swap and a knife on a thigh. That's not a collaboration; that's a Thursday afternoon project. My cats' litter costs less and provides more value, for crying out loud!

The Growing Pattern of Laziness

This isn't just a one-off issue. I've been noticing a troubling trend with Overwatch 2's recent collabs. Remember the Gundam skins? I threw my money at the screen faster than Tracer can blink, and what did I get? No modulated robot voice for Mercy. Not even a tiny "beep boop" when she resurrects someone!

The problem is spreading like a rash. Battle passes are being padded with recycled assets—Tracer's vaporwave highlight intro being copy-pasted for multiple characters is just one example. It's like Blizzard thinks we won't notice, but honey, my eyes work just fine.

The Competition Is Eating Our Lunch

Meanwhile, over in Valorant-land (and it pains me to compliment Riot), their collaborations actually feel special. When I dropped a Benjamin on that Zedd gun bundle—which I absolutely did not need but desperately wanted—I got sounds, effects, and an experience that made me grin like an idiot.

That's what I want from you, Blizzard! Make me feel something other than regret when I check my bank statement! Give me pew-pews and whooshes and character-specific voice lines that make me giggle uncontrollably in the middle of a match.

A Plea From My Suffering Wallet

Look, I'm not asking for the moon here. I understand game development is expensive and difficult. Asset reuse happens. But there's a difference between efficient development and charging premium prices for minimal effort.

I love Overwatch 2. I want to support it. My gaming group and I play daily, and we've created memories that will last until the next shiny game comes along. But my relationship with this game is starting to feel one-sided, like I'm the only one putting in effort (and money).

And the fact that Duke—THE Duke, arguably G.I. Joe's main character—didn't even get a skin? That's not just dropping the ball; that's punting it into another dimension.

What Could Have Been

Imagine a world where:

• Reaper's Cobra Commander skin had a voice modulator

• Soldier: 76 as Duke had unique voice lines referencing "knowing is half the battle"

• Ultimate abilities had G.I. Joe-themed visual effects

• Victory poses included classic action figure stances

Is that too much to ask for $20? I think not!

The Final Verdict

So here I am, a devoted Overwatch 2 player with poor impulse control and a weakness for digital dress-up, begging Blizzard to do better. My cats need their premium litter, and I need premium content if you're going to charge premium prices.

This G.I. Joe collaboration feels like it was conceived, designed, and implemented in the time it takes me to decide which takeout to order. And that's not good enough—not for the players, not for G.I. Joe fans, and certainly not for my poor, abused wallet.

Do better, Blizzard. My credit card is waiting, but so is my disappointment if you keep this up. And trust me, you don't want to see what happens when someone with my level of skin addiction finally decides enough is enough. 😤

Until then, I'll be here, playing daily, completing my battle pass, and praying the next collaboration gives me a reason to happy-cry instead of wallet-cry.

Comprehensive reviews can be found on PC Gamer, where the publication frequently critiques the value proposition of in-game cosmetics and collaborations in titles like Overwatch 2. Their analysis often emphasizes the importance of meaningful content and player satisfaction, echoing concerns about lackluster skin releases and the growing demand for more immersive, feature-rich collaborations in the live service gaming space.