Overwatch’s Anniversary event rolls around every year on the anniversary of the game’s official release date in 2016. We’ve got everything you need to know about that iteration, including skins and more.
Overwatch prefers to go big or go home, often hosting a massive event for its anniversary. This year’s Anniversary event will allow players to celebrate the game being another year older and will bring new content every year.
Dates
- 2021- May 18th – June 8th
- 2020- May 19th – June 9th
- 2019- May 21st – June 10th
- 2018- May 22nd – June 11th
- 2017- May 23rd – June 12th
Cosmetics
All loot boxes available in the Anniversary event were black and contained at least one cosmetic item. Unlocking additional cosmetics with credits became an option during the duration of this event.
Usually, after Overwatch Archives wraps up, which happened at the end of April, the Overwatch calendar is chalk full of exciting adventures.
When is Overwatch Anniversary?
Overwatch Anniversary begins on May 18 to June 8. The event included a ton of one-time in-game unlocks, including Legendary skins for some of the game’s heroes, as well as bringing back more than 100 seasonal items that have been available in previous events like Halloween Terror and Winter Wonderland.
Every year, the Anniversary event brings with it an assortment of themed cosmetics: skins, sprays, and other items. Some of the most iconic in-game cosmetics have been offered up to players during this celebratory event. With around 3 Epic and 5 Legendary drops, some of the game’s best skins come out every anniversary season.
Last year we saw fan favorites like Little Red Ashe, Masquerade Reaper and Dragoon Mercy enter the fray. Going into this pivotal game year, expectations were high considering that there is less time for playtesting.
Overwatch’s Story
Overwatch was released as a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game features squad-based combat with six players per side. Players choose one of several character classes, each with a different set of unique abilities.
Overwatch is set some time in the future of a fictionalized Earth. A worldwide crisis called the Omnic Crisis brought war to humanity. To end the war, an international task force called Overwatch was formed to restore peace; however, after its downfall many years later and until recently it left behind a number of structures referred to as ‘omnium’, which have since been taken over by remnant artificial intelligence constructs called ‘omnics’.
Overwatch, released in 2016, is Blizzard‘s fourth franchise, and came about from the canceled Project Titan. The game was on display at BlizzCon 2014 in an almost-finished state and had a closed beta from the end of 2015 to early 2016. An open beta in May 2016 drew in more than 9.7 million players. An animated series of shorts was uploaded to YouTube to promote the release of the game. When Overwatch was first released, it received high praise from critics who enjoyed the game’s accessibility to new players with a wide range of heroes that appeal to many demographics. However, it has been criticized for elements that were seen as favorable to newcomers or experienced players such as its finite selection of maps and lack of game modes, stories, competitive ranking system, tutorials, and in-game social systems.
We at Best Gaming Tips think that Overwatch is considered one of the greatest video games ever made as well as Blizzard’s most successful game developed to date. The game has also become recognized as an eSport with professional leagues.