Blizzard responds to backlash over pricey Overwatch 2 skins

Blizzard has finally cleared the air after the player backlash against the outrageous price of Overwatch 2 skins mentioned in the monetization survey. 

A rocky Overwatch 2 beta has come to a close, with some players only being able to try out the game for two days. Gamers who purchased Watchpoint Pack received instant access, fanning whispers of Overwatch 2 beta being a mere cash grab for Blizzard. The $40 paywall didn’t necessarily appease the players who applied early for access but still only had a weekend to get a feel of the game. 

After the whole beta fiasco, a screenshot from Overwatch 2 skins monetization survey raged the fans. The questionnaire suggested that mythic skins could be priced at $44.99, sparking severe response. 

Oof, friend of mine got an Overwatch survey for his account, some of these prices they're gauging for OW2 are really expensive.

I hope this is just him getting one of the higher price surveys and not an indication that they're leaning towards this much monetization. pic.twitter.com/RWr7LbwkLB

— Portergauge 🏳️‍🌈 (@Portergauge) July 30, 2022

Blizzard turns down $45 as final skin price

Fortunately, the survey was merely a feeler to better understand players. The developer may not sell rare Mythic skins at $45 once the game is out of testing phases. 

A monetization survey was sent out to the players after the Overwatch 2 beta wrapped up. A user highlighted that some skins were ridiculously expensive, costing as much as Overwatch 1 upon release. In the screenshot, a weapon charm was priced at $9.99, legendary skin at $25, and Mythic skin at $44.99, competing with the cost of a whole new AA video game. 

Naturally, the Overwatch community isn’t pleased. However, Blizzard has made clear that prices haven’t been locked in yet. According to IGN, Blizzard has clarified that prices in the monetization survey were random. 

“This survey is entirely intended to better understand player preferences for different types of Overwatch 2 cosmetics. Prices displayed in the survey were randomized per user and are not indicative of final pricing. We plan to share details on our Shop and Battle Pass system closer to our Oct. 4 launch,” the spokesperson said. 

So players shouldn’t jump the gun just yet and should maybe wait for the official release before sending criticism. There’s a good chance that the prices may still be higher than the community’s expectations, but they probably won’t cost $45 after such harsh backlash.