Overwatch 2 just started its annual Halloween Terror event, but it doesn't really stand a chance at living up to past versions of the event. With Overwatch 2 launching in early access just earlier this month, there were those who expected Blizzard to skip Halloween Terror this year. Instead, the studio decided to bring Halloween Terror back as Overwatch 2's first-ever seasonal event, complete with a new Junkenstein's Revenge mode.
Overwatch 2's Halloween Terror event sees the return of classic Junkenstein's Revenge modes along with the new Junkenstein's Revenge: Wrath of the Bride game mode for players to try out as well. There are some Halloween-centric rewards that players can earn from participating in this year's Halloween Terror festivities, but many fans are finding it underwhelming compared to previous years, and for good reason.
It seems many are unimpressed with the new Overwatch 2 Halloween skins, with Blizzard focused mostly on recycling skins that were featured in previous Halloween Terror events. Beyond that, many Overwatch 2 players aren't happy that they no longer have any viable way of unlocking these Halloween skins for free. Overwatch 2's switch to a free-to-play monetization model and a more traditional online store means fans have to pay real money to get their hands on any of the game's Halloween skins.
Previous years gave Overwatch players a way to earn the Halloween skins through gameplay by leveling up and unlocking loot boxes. Alternatively, those who would rather buy loot boxes had the option to do that as well. But Overwatch 2 has gotten rid of loot boxes, replacing the system with a paid store and a Battle Pass, which has proven to be a controversial move to say the least.
Despite the fact that there are many who take issue with loot boxes, which have been outright banned in some countries, many others seem to agree that Overwatch's loot boxes were not nearly as problematic as similar mechanics in other games. This is because the Overwatch loot boxes were strictly cosmetic, and players were able to get one after each level up, as opposed to loot boxes in other games that generally require players to spend real money to buy them and have gameplay-enhancing content.
Ultimately, this means that the Halloween Terror event for Overwatch 2 is automatically going to be less rewarding than previous years as players are unable to unlock anything of all that much value through actual gameplay. Instead, they have to bust out their wallet, as the Overwatch Coins gained from weekly challenges are barely enough to buy much of anything worthwhile in the store.
Overwatch 2 is out now in early access for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.