Blizzard’s 2016 hero-shooter success, Overwatch, is on its way out, soon to be replaced by Overwatch 2 following an open beta later this year. With the development team hard at work on the new game, Overwatch has been somewhat left behind and, much to the chagrin of some fans, so has a certain skin.
Instead of unique legendary skins, this year's annual Anniversary event promises returning fan favorites and the unvaulting of skins previously only obtained through limited-time challenges. As such Overwatch fans were hopeful that another elusive skin would appear – Pink Mercy. One of Mercy's many popular outfits, this rare skin has been prized by Mercy mains and casual players alike since its appearance in May 2018 as part of a Breast Cancer Research Foundation charity run. Now, four years on, the skin is yet to make a return to stores, prompting players to question when, if ever, it would be resurrected.
On a Blizzard forums thread detailing Overwatch's new Anniversary Remix event, Community Manager AndyB confirmed that Blizzard has "no plans to bring back the Pink Mercy skin or icons." Players clamoring for the outfit will be sorely disappointed, but perhaps not surprised, as the Pink Mercy skin has been in such high demand to the point where almost every official Overwatch social media post has at least one commenter asking for a return.
A thread on the Overwatch subreddit catalogs the divisive reaction to this news; while some remain upset, others highlight the positive awareness that the skin has garnered. User ThaRippa notes that "unique skins being rare makes even more people consider buying them," with the FOMO aspect encouraging players to part with their cash for a good cause.
Others suggest that, instead of bringing back Pink Mercy, Blizzard should create a new charity skin. With the current humanitarian crisis ongoing in Ukraine, companies like Blizzard have donated a portion of their profits to help provide aid. A new, limited-time skin would not only increase these profits but help raise even more awareness for the cause.
With plenty of eyes on the release of Overwatch 2, the time is ripe for a new charity event. Pink Mercy successfully raised almost $10 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and with plenty of other worthy causes to support it’s time other organizations got that chance.
Overwatch is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Blizzard Forums
