Overwatch 2's evolution from a paid game to a free-to-play model has reshaped the cosmetic acquisition landscape, addressing player feedback with strategic changes like the reintroduction of Credits.

I've been grinding Overwatch since the original launched back in 2016, and wow, what a journey it's been! The transition from Overwatch to Overwatch 2 has been quite the rollercoaster for us dedicated players. Remember the good old days when dropping $60 got you the full game experience? You'd level up, earn those sweet lootboxes, and slowly build your collection of cosmetics for your favorite heroes. Those were simpler times.

When Overwatch 2 launched with its free-to-play model and battle pass system, I felt that familiar sting of disappointment that echoed throughout our community. Gone were the days of earning in-game currency through regular play. Instead, we faced a stark reality: want a cool new skin? Better reach for your wallet! The grind barely felt worthwhile even if you paid for the premium battle pass, and free-to-play players? Well, they got even less.

The Psychology Behind Cosmetics

Let's be real for a second—not everyone plays Overwatch to climb the competitive ladder. Some of us (myself included) just want to have fun, look cool, and collect awesome skins for our mains. I still remember playing for EIGHT STRAIGHT HOURS just to unlock the Mei-rry skin. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

The power of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is incredibly strong in games like Overwatch. Half the joy used to come from trying to complete your main's cosmetic collection. It gave us casual players something to strive for beyond just winning matches. Having a visual representation of your dedication to a character feels rewarding in a way that's hard to describe to non-gamers.

But when Overwatch 2 launched, that aspect of the game virtually disappeared unless you had deep pockets. And let me tell you—that hurt the community badly.

The Turning Point: Season 3 Changes

Fast forward to 2026, and things have finally started to improve. Blizzard has been listening (somewhat) to our feedback. The reintroduction of Credits in Season 3 was a major step toward recapturing some of that original Overwatch magic.

The current system allows players to earn:

• Up to 1500 Credits through the free battle pass

• An additional 500 Credits with the paid battle pass

This distribution is actually pretty smart—skewing the bulk of Credits toward free-to-play players helps make the game more accessible to everyone. But is it perfect? Not by a long shot.

The Current State of Affairs

Here's a quick breakdown of where we stand in 2026:

Feature	Overwatch 1	Overwatch 2 (Launch)	Overwatch 2 (Now)
Cost	$60 upfront	Free-to-play	Free-to-play
Cosmetic Acquisition	Lootboxes + Credits	Primarily paid	Credits + Paid options
Legendary Skin Cost	1000 Credits	1900 Credits	1500 Credits
Credit Earning	Regular gameplay	Almost none	Battle pass progression

Even with the reduced price of Legendary skins (now 1500 Credits), the math works out to approximately one new Legendary skin per season—and that's IF you grind the entire battle pass. That's still a far cry from the original game's more generous system.

And let's not forget the catch: only Legendary skins from the original Overwatch can be purchased with Credits. Anything created specifically for Overwatch 2? Still locked behind that pesky paywall. 😑

What This Means for Different Player Types

For veteran players like me who are just trying to fill gaps in our collections from Overwatch 1, these changes are welcome but insufficient. For newer players who never experienced the original game, it's at least something—a chance to earn some classic skins without spending real money.

But for both groups, the actual payoff for hours of gameplay remains minimal compared to what we once had. The time-to-reward ratio is still way off balance.

Looking Ahead

Despite my criticisms, I remain cautiously optimistic about Overwatch 2's future. These changes show that Blizzard is at least listening to feedback. They recognize that a significant portion of their player base would have preferred the old $60 upfront model to the current free-to-play system with its battle pass and shop.

Will Overwatch 2 ever fully recapture the magic of the original? Probably not. The gaming industry has changed too much, and monetization strategies have evolved (or devolved, depending on your perspective).

But each season brings new adjustments and tweaks to the reward system. Each change brings a little hope that our voices are being heard. And maybe, just maybe, by the time Overwatch 3 rolls around (if it ever does), Blizzard will have found that perfect balance between profitability and player satisfaction.

Until then, I'll keep grinding away at my battle pass, saving up those precious Credits for the next skin I've had my eye on. Because at the end of the day, despite all its flaws, there's still nothing quite like Overwatch.

My Wishlist for Future Improvements

As we move forward, here's what I'd love to see:

1. More Credits available through the free battle pass

2. The ability to purchase Overwatch 2 skins with Credits

3. Additional ways to earn Credits outside the battle pass

4. Weekly challenges that reward meaningful amounts of Credits

5. Special events with earnable limited-time skins

What changes would you like to see? Let me know in the comments! Wait, this isn't actually a YouTube video... old habits die hard! 😅