Overwatch 2 crossover events: Shameless cash grabs or harmless fun?

Since Overwatch 2 launched in 2022, replacing Overwatch 1 entirely, the game has been under scrutiny for the implementation of monetisation techniques. Overwatch 1 had to be purchased, but all cosmetics could be earned in-game. Players could choose to buy loot boxes to get a better chance at obtaining these skins, but they were still earnable.

Fast forward to Overwatch 2, and the structure of the game has changed. It is free to play, but cosmetics are costly, especially new skins for the heroes. Blizzard has kept skin options interesting by collaborating with other big franchises to create crossover events wherein certain Overwatch heroes receive new outfits and other cosmetics related to the partnered franchise. 

While it is fun to see these franchises come together, there is undeniably a strong discourse surrounding the cost of these collaboration events. The big question is, are these crossover events a shameless cash grab on Blizzard’s part, or are they simple, harmless fun? Let’s dive into the topic in more detail. 

Crossovers in Overwatch 2 are limited-time events wherein the Overwatch franchise collaborates with other pop culture franchises. These franchises have mostly been anime-related, but as of May 2025, other collabs have included K-pop and other video games. 

Crossover events involve challenges wherein players can unlock free rewards, but the collabs mostly revolve around cosmetics, especially skins. The more detailed cosmetics, such as the skins, must be paid for separately using Overwatch coins. Players can exchange real-life money for Overwatch coins to purchase skins during crossover events. 

At the time of writing (May 2025), there have been 12 crossover events in Overwatch 2. They are as follows:

Crossovers in Overwatch 2 exist to keep players engaged while expanding the Overwatch brand, but they are also a significant way for Blizzard to monetise the game. Overwatch 2 is free to play, and in-game purchases are the main source of revenue. 

The cosmetics released as part of crossover events are limited in time, which creates a “FOMO” or “Fear of Missing Out” effect. Players are more likely to purchase cosmetics when they know that they might miss out if they don’t get them in time, which effectively draws in players and purchases. 

These crossover events have received both positive and negative responses from the Overwatch 2 community. Let’s have a closer look at some of these pros and cons. 

So, are these events genuine or have they been created simply for monetisation? The answer isn’t set in stone, but it’s easy to see both sides of the argument. 

Many players in the Overwatch 2 community have considered the sequel a cash grab since it first released, let alone before the monetisation attempts increased tenfold with the crossover events. This has led to many players becoming disillusioned. 

A comment from Redditor oldtekk on a post about in-game monetisation on the Overwatch 2 Reddit reflects this feeling well: “Overwatch monetisation has honestly ruined the game for me. There’s no excitement around events anymore.”

The community is also aware of how ridiculously overpriced the skins are, specifically for crossover events. A Reddit post highlighting the cost of the Street Fighter collab skins notes that purchasing all eight of the Street Fighter x Overwatch 2 skins is only slightly cheaper than purchasing almost every Street Fighter game, which is particularly eye-opening. 

Discourse in the comments is mixed, with many arguing that Blizzard is obviously going to charge a lot of money for cosmetics when Overwatch 2 is free-to-play. Another argument is that players don’t have to buy anything they don’t want to. In the thread, Redditor doomleika is pragmatic about the situation in the aforementioned Street Fighter collab thread: “That’s how skin business works. Overpriced assets.”

However, some players are still actively against this level of pricing. In the same thread, Reddit user ATVLover states: “I really miss the days of when you bought a game, you could unlock everything by actually playing. It’s really unfortunate that this is the new norm and people just accept it that you have to spend $100s to get all the cosmetics.”

Another comment by Rarrlow also expresses the disillusionment towards the blasé attitude that some show towards the crossover cosmetic costs: “Incredible that some people will still defend these prices.”

Over on X, discourse is about the same, with some defending the prices and others vehemently opposing them. One particularly interesting post comes from @POLARITY_Q, which takes a post from Reddit to show just how similar Soldier 76’s default skin is to his Guile Street Fighter skin. The resemblance is uncanny, and it is frustrating to think that the Guile outfit is a full-price Legendary collab skin when it is so similar to a free default skin. 

All in all, there is a great deal of understandable irritation with the price of cosmetics during crossover events in Overwatch 2. There is no doubt that the collabs are designed with fun in mind, but the monetisation element is hard to ignore. 

Due to Overwatch 2 being a free-to-play game, the skins that come about from crossover events are clearly an attempt by Blizzard to monetise the fun nature of collaborations as much as possible. Although there can be a lot of cool features involved, and players aren’t forced to make any purchases, it’s hard to ignore the blatant cash-grab nature of the crossover events, especially in more recent times.