Overwatch 2 Monetization the system is now a mess, to put it mildly. Blizzard’s sequel to the popular FPS has been heavily criticized by its own community for ignoring players less inclined to premium purchases, and it’s not hard to see a grain of truth in that accusation. Overwatch 2’s two seasons so far have included a free battle pass that’s been filled with a sparse number of cheap poses, sprays, and victory portraits, all of which pale in comparison to its premium counterpart.
If you’re a free-to-play consumer, you can forget about the highly desired Mythic skins scattered throughout the main menu, which are the culmination of Overwatch 2’s premium battle pass. It doesn’t even have Legendary items. Do you like new and interesting cosmetics for your favorite characters? Do you enjoy reaping the rewards of your hard-earned victories in a live service video game? Kind of hard, because Overwatch 2 is all the same… unless you pay for it.
May the odds never be in your favor
Loot boxes suck. Have we already talked about it? We probably don’t need it; Numerous studies have concluded that loot boxes are psychologically linked to gambling and that its impact disproportionately affects vulnerable consumers. In response to these findings, many countries have rightly decided to block loot boxes that appear in their most predatory guises.
Belgium took a more global stance in 2018 with a complete ban on loot boxes. Although recent reports question the effectiveness of this ban, it’s certainly worth mentioning that Overwatch was one of the case studies used by the Belgian Gaming Commission to determine that loot boxes constituted illegal gambling. It’s no surprise that Blizzard is trying to distance itself from this report by changing its monetization system in the multiplayer suite, but that certainly doesn’t mean the alternative is any more consumer-friendly.
Let’s count the numbers, shall we? The Overwatch loot box once contained four random cosmetic items with a guarantee of at least one rare or better item in each box. Of course, it should be noted that this extended to All the world cosmetics, including over 600 “rare” portraits that reduced the chances of getting much more coveted items. The rarest and most coveted Legendary skins had a 7.5% chance to drop.
While 7.5% is an objectively terrible rating, consider Genshin Impact’s unfortunate 0.6% drop chance for its 5-star characters. Additionally, while Overwatch players could purchase loot boxes with in-game or real-world money, this was not a requirement, as you automatically received a loot box after each level. Of course, the higher your level, the more experience you’ll need to reach the next level, which worked like the quintessence of the game, flooding new players with loot boxes to slowly whittle them down, forcing them to work harder for their next heist. “. ‘ or reach for your wallet.
Pass or fail?
So now that we’ve established just how poorly Overwatch loot boxes have performed, let’s focus on Overwatch 2’s Premium Battle Pass and how it stacks up against others like it. The Overwatch 2 Battle Pass consists primarily of cosmetic rewards and includes a 20% XP bonus that acts as insurance against complaints that more casual players aren’t putting in enough hours to unlock rewards after paying for them.
Obviously, there are many other free PC games with this structure. Fortnite is a great example and a clear inspiration for the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass. The basic difference between the two is that dedicated players can earn enough V-bucks by completing the Fortnite Battle Pass to purchase the next one without spending any real money. . Meanwhile, the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass costs 1000 coins, which you can only earn for free in weekly challenges… a maximum of 60 coins per week.
I promised you it would count, so here’s something to think about: it will take you 16 weeks to earn enough coins to a Overwatch 2 Battle Pass. Since Overwatch 2 seasons have a nine-week schedule, you’d be wasting almost two seasons saving up for a single pass.
And let’s not forget that loot boxes may be entirely cosmetic, but Overwatch 2’s Battle Pass certainly isn’t. Unlike the previous version of Overwatch, new heroes like Kiriko and Ramattra can only be unlocked through the Season Battle Pass. Of course, if you buy the Premium Battle Pass, you’ll have immediate access. However, if you want to acquire new Overwatch 2 characters without spending any money, you’ll need some dedication.
Each Overwatch 2 Battle Pass tier requires 10,000 XP and you must earn 450,000 XP to unlock Ramattra. In addition to the 118,000 XP that can be earned per week from challenges, regular matches in Overwatch 2 will earn you between 100 and 150 XP. It doesn’t take a mathematician to conclude that, unlike other Battle Passes that serve to encourage player engagement, Overwatch 2’s Battle Pass is all about breadcrumbs.
It’s time to give, give and give
If we’re talking about cosmetic microtransactions, we can’t ignore Overwatch’s seasonal events. These holiday celebrations are always accompanied by a variety of new, different and colorful skins, many of which serve to connect the holidays with the personalities of the characters in FPS games. Overwatch 2’s Halloween event continues that tradition with a selection of adorably spooky skins… that can only be purchased in the store.
Season skins were still available for a limited time, but those restrictions made sense because they were tied to the events themselves. Seasonal challenges give seasonal rewards, makes sense right? However, it’s during these seasonal events that Overwatch 2’s monetization system drops its mask, pushing players into the store endlessly. Skins are available on a weekly rotation, and there’s no easy way to check what’s currently available without interacting with the store with their attractive bundles and percentage discounts.
If you want to unlock a specific legendary skin in the shop, you will need 1900 coins. That’s about 31 weeks of play in the game, or about $20 in real money. Let’s be honest, there is nothing supernatural about this transaction, but you better make your decision fast, because in a week this skin will be gone and who knows when it will be available again.
The combination of skin availability is tied to the Season Battle Passes. Y seasonal events also give a mean impression of Overwatch 2’s roster of heroes. Aside from the two default skins, only eight of Tracer’s 25 skins can currently be unlocked with in-game currency, and this gap between the Available skins and locked premium ones will become more apparent as to how more seasons and more skins will appear. .
Two evils, both equal in humiliation
So loot boxes suck. Battle passes suck. Digital storefronts for microtransactions suck. Some of you are probably thinking, what’s wrong with that? Everything is cosmetic and you have to focus on the game which is free! Why all the hype?
Well, it’s pretty simple: it’s hard to take care of a game that doesn’t actively care about you. New content is popping up in the Overwatch 2 main menu that you’ll either have to pay for or spend an exhausting amount of time searching for, and the meager offerings will arrive gradually to push you to take the easier and faster route and just hand it over to Blizzard. your money.
Of course, skins aren’t everything, but let’s not forget: it’s not Single shells. The debuts of new heroes have been a boon to Blizzard’s marketing, bringing finicky fans back to the ranks and possibly keeping them locked up for a long time. Heroes can be played by everyone, but now there is a significant portion of the community going into the next season that doesn’t have the time or money to unlock either Ramattra or Kiriko and will be banned from playing one or the other in normal matches. in the foreseeable future.
The more Overwatch presents a closed door to casual gamers, the more player attitudes tend to move away from it, and the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” will widen. Overwatch’s loot box system was a psychological minefield where the best rewards always seemed out of reach. With the Overwatch 2 Battle Pass, everything seems to be out of reach. All the world farm, All the world it keeps you waiting, whether it’s a skin hitting the store or a new character locked behind a high level in the battle pass. It’s a bucket of cold water spilled by the excitement of a new event or season, and it doesn’t bode well for the future of the community. Loot boxes may be gone, but we’re still in a psychological minefield; the landscape may be different, but the danger is the same.
Source : PC Gamesn
