Overwatch Fan Discovers Nostalgic Thrift Shop Treasure

A fortunate Overwatch enthusiast recently stumbled upon a rare loot box collectible from the original game at a thrift shop, sparking nostalgia among fans. Back in the early days of Overwatch, players could earn loot boxes by simply playing, with each box containing four cosmetic items—ranging from sprays to hero skins—and classified by rarity: common, rare, epic, or legendary. Additionally, players had the option to purchase these loot boxes with real money.

With the launch of Overwatch 2, Blizzard replaced the original loot box system with a new battle pass model for distributing cosmetic items. The updated shop also introduced microtransactions for exclusive skins and bundles, significantly changing the way players acquire content.

The community largely embraced the battle pass in Overwatch 2, although the requirement to grind for newly released heroes stirred some controversy. Earlier this year, Blizzard addressed this concern by making the latest heroes, Venture and Juno, available for free to all players.

In a post on Reddit, user fireshow77 shared photos of the impressive collectible loot box they found, which was part of a Blizzard employee gift set from 2017. With only 5,000 of these boxes produced, the find is a true rarity.

While the loot box appeared empty, the user revealed in the comments that they snagged this unique item for just $3—possibly because the thrift shop owner didn't realize its value to the Overwatch fan community.

Fans Reflect on the Original Loot Box System vs. Overwatch 2's Battle Pass

The Reddit post sparked a lively debate among Overwatch fans about their preferences between the original loot boxes and the current battle pass and shop system. Many players appreciated the thrill of earning free loot boxes and the randomized cosmetics simply by playing the game, while others criticized the introduction of microtransactions for outright purchases.

Some fans are calling for Overwatch 2 to eliminate its battle pass and reintroduce the free loot box system. However, since the game transitioned to a free-to-play model, seasonal battle passes and shop options enable Blizzard to maintain support for Overwatch 2 through balance updates, new maps, heroes, events, and more.

As for the possibility of reviving the original loot box system in Overwatch 2, Blizzard has yet to make any announcements. The only major feature from the original game confirmed to be in internal testing is the 6v6 mode.

Currently, Overwatch 2's Season 12 battle pass is garnering praise for its Egyptian theme and the mythic skin for Reaper. Players can look forward to the launch of Season 13 next week, with Blizzard expected to unveil a wealth of new information in the coming days.