Overwatch fans are already disappointed by the Archives skins

Olivia Richman Published 12/04/2021

In past Overwatch fans, Archives was a great opportunity for players to learn more about the extensive lore behind Blizzard’s popular first-person shooter. Through skins and arcade game modes, fans would learn more about Overwatch’s history and each hero’s motivation. But this year, Archives was entirely lacking.

Overwatch fans have continuously expressed their frustration with the Archives event, even extending to before it began. The first issue was the lack of game modes. Unlike in some previous years, fans weren’t given a new arcade mode that revealed more about Overwatch’s storyline. Instead, they were only given challenges within old arcade modes.

All that was left for players to enjoy were the skins. But even that ended up being underwhelming for most Overwatch players.

Previous Overwatch skins for Archives were based on the game’s story and the character’s own unique history within the game’s events. But the skins this year don’t really reveal anything more about the characters.

Overwatch players not impressed by Camouflage Mercy

The least favorite skin thus far has been Mercy’s. The Camouflage Mercy skin prominently features a short black haircut that many are comparing to a “Karen” haircut. One Reddit thread even screenshot the skin and asked to speak to Jeff’s manager, a reference to the top developer behind Overwatch. While a lot of people find the skin unappealing, the Florence Nightingale-inspired skin has at least become a favorite for others that are bored of Mercy’s blonde ponytail.

Overwatch Mercy

But either way, fans are wondering if this skin has anything to do with Mercy’s past. Did she ever dress like this or wear her hair like this at any point in the character’s history?

The next Overwatch event is the game’s Anniversary. This is another opportunity for Blizzard to excite fans with a new game mode or with more lore reveals. But going by Overwatch’s most recent events, it seems like Overwatch 2 may have developers too busy to bother with these Overwatch events. Instead, expect more skins and nothing much else. Hopefully the skins will excite fans a bit more this time around.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile