Overwatch 2 players are unhappy with the 2023 Lunar New Year event, which kicks off January 24th, 2023. Comparing it to past Lunar New Year celebrations, Overwatch 2 players have found the Year of the Rabbit to be quite lackluster by comparison for several reasons.
The Lunar New Year was a seasonal event within the original Overwatch title that many players looked forward to, typically introducing an array of new cosmetics and limited-time modes for players to enjoy. Overwatch 2 has retained the event, which is soon to kick off in celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, but players are making it known that they are unhappy with the direction in which the event is being taken. With these criticisms being the latest in a long line of issues players have with the title, Season 3 is going to be a big challenge for Overwatch 2, which has frustrated players for several reasons since its initial launch in October 2022.
Taking to Reddit, user Strife_3e created an infographic drawing comparisons between past Lunar New Year celebrations and the 2023 event. Comparisons show that the latest event is especially stingy when it comes to giving out hero skins as part of the 'Weekly Challenges' part of the event, which many players liked more than any other part of the celebrations. Despite Blizzard promising better communication regarding Overwatch 2, the free-to-play nature of the title seems to have led to an increased emphasis upon microtransactions.
Players must now fork out upwards of $15 for individual skins, or more for particular bundles pertaining to the event, and the Weekly Rewards system now also awards players with weapon charms and souvenirs, cosmetic options that are not particularly desirable compared to the regular event skins awarded for individual heroes. The few skins that can be obtained as weekly rewards have also been recycled from past events, rather than having been made from scratch in celebration of the Year of the Rabbit event.
Though players were originally very excited when Overwatch 2 revealed its Lunar New Year plans, this eagerness has since been quelled by the nature of the latest Lunar New Year event. Once a signature event for the franchise, the 'Year of the Microtransactions' as dubbed by players feels like a letdown to many. Despite Overwatch 2 being free-to-play, which the original Overwatch wasn't, many feel that the added emphasis placed upon microtransactions is nonetheless excessive.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
