A recent Overwatch 2 survey raised consternation about the potential cost of cosmetic items in the upcoming hero shooter, though Blizzard maintains that exorbitant prices are not set in stone.
Blizzard recently sent out a survey to some members of the Overwatch 2 community to gauge their expectations for the cost of cosmetic items. As captured by @Portergauge on Twitter (opens in a new tab), it included some particularly high prices. Players were asked if they would be willing to pay €45 (approximately €36 / AU$65) for a mythic rare skin, €24,99 (approximately €20 / AU$36) for a slightly less rare legendary skin, or up to €9,99 (around €10 / AU$14) for a visual weapon charm.
La respuesta de la comunidad de Overwatch a la encuesta ha sido en gran parte negative, con muchos fanáticos en Reddit (opens in a new tab) expresando su sorpresa por los altos precios. While Blizzard will be ditching loot boxes in Overwatch 2 in favor of a new battle pass system and rotating cosmetics shop, it's not yet clear whether this system change will come alongside an overhaul of the game's pricing. in the game.
Devil remade?
(*two*)Since then, Blizzard has attempted to allay player concerns, stating that the prices listed in the survey are not final. In fact, it is quite possible that the participants saw different speculative prices in the questionnaire.
"This survey is intended to better understand player preferences for different types of Overwatch 2 cosmetics," Blizzard told IGN (opens in a new tab).
"Prices shown in the survey have been randomly assigned per user and are not indicative of final pricing. We plan to share details of our store and Battle Pass system closer to our October 4 launch."
Regardless of what price Blizzard sets, the idea that it has even considered selling a skin for €45 could worry fans. The developer has recently faced a wave of backlash for its handling of Diablo Immortal's microtransactions.
The action RPG was heavily criticized for its aggressive monetization, which repeatedly required players to spend money on game enthusiasts and cosmetics. These microtransactions weren't cheap either, and hidden progression caps prevented free players from progressing through the game in the same way their paid peers did.
Overwatch fans will have to wait impatiently to see if the hero shooter's sequel follows a similar course.