Valve is to be credited for the creation of premium loot boxes in PC gaming, but the idea didn’t really take off until Overwatch made box opening enjoyable, fashionable, and occasionally free in 2016.
Overwatch is one of the very few well-known games still promoting expansion packs six years later, not for much longer.
Later this month, Blizzard will quit selling loot boxes in Overwatch 1 in order to get ready for the day that loot boxes are completely removed from Overwatch 2.
During chapter 3 of its Jubilee Remix event, which begins today, Blizzard is retiring loot boxes. There are several legendary skin recolors based on the classic favorites available throughout the three-week campaign.
Others must be purchased with in-game currency or obtained via loot boxes, while some are acquired via normal gameplay. To improve their position, gamers can still buy loot boxes straight from Blizzard, although the sales of loot boxes will end on August 30.
Players can still obtain treasure boxes via standard means until September (leveling up, playing Arcade, etc.). Then, on October 4, when Overwatch 2 launches, all saved loot boxes will simply activate when Blizzard formally ditches random chance loot from the gameplay. Battle Passes for Overwatch 2’s seasons will be used instead.
For the most part, the loot box period has probably long since passed, but as an Overwatch player, I do sense as though this specific gaming period is perhaps coming to an end.
Every high-budget game under the sun decided for a number of years that it would be a smart option to hide digital goods behind tiny in-game casinos, and it was extraordinary.
Overwatch was viewed by many as an instance of how to “do loot boxes right,” whereas many loot box additions were so detested that publishers were compelled to remove them from their games.
However, things have changed, and gamers have chosen that they feel more at ease being monetized with battle passes, which trade pure chance for a time-consuming gamble.