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Will Overwatch 2 Keep Skins? Everything You Need to Know

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Yes, absolutely! The vast majority of your hard-earned cosmetic items, including skins, player icons, sprays, highlight intros, and emotes, will indeed carry over from the original Overwatch to Overwatch 2. This was a core promise from Blizzard, ensuring that players’ investments in the first game wouldn’t be lost in the transition. While there have been some hiccups for certain players, the core system is designed to seamlessly transfer these items. This is possible because Overwatch 2 was built upon the same engine and framework as its predecessor, allowing for a direct port of cosmetics.

However, some players have experienced issues with their items not appearing immediately. This article will delve into why this may happen and what steps you can take to ensure your entire cosmetic collection is intact. Understanding the transfer process and potential troubleshooting steps will be invaluable for any Overwatch veteran stepping into the world of Overwatch 2.

Account Merging and Why It’s Crucial

The most critical factor for a successful transfer of your cosmetic items is ensuring that your accounts are correctly merged. If you played Overwatch on a console (PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch), you need to merge those accounts with your primary Battle.net account. This is because all progress and cosmetic data are ultimately stored under your Battle.net ID. Without merging, the system won’t know where to pull your items from, leading to the frustrating experience of missing skins.

How to Merge Your Accounts

Visit the Battle.net website: Navigate to the official Battle.net website and log into your account.
Access the Connections Page: Look for the “Connections” settings page, usually found under your account details.
Link Your Console Accounts: You’ll see options to connect your console accounts (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or Nintendo Account). Follow the on-screen prompts to link each account to your Battle.net profile.
Confirmation: Once completed, double-check to ensure all your console accounts are properly linked.

It is crucial to double-check that you’re logging into the correct Battle.net account when playing Overwatch 2. Logging into an incorrect Battle.net account will lead you to believe all your skins are missing when they are on a different account.

Troubleshooting Merge Issues

If you’ve merged your accounts but still find that you are missing skins, try these steps:

Unlink and Relink: Sometimes, the merge process can have glitches. Try unlinking your console accounts and then linking them again. This might resolve any discrepancies.
Log Out and Back In: Once you’ve relinked your accounts, log out of Overwatch 2 completely and then log back in. This refresh often forces the game to update your account’s cosmetic inventory.
Account Merge Status: If your account is currently undergoing a merge, the shop button in Overwatch 2 may temporarily disappear. Once the merge is complete, the shop will reappear and your cosmetics should be accessible.
Contact Support: If these steps fail, reach out to Blizzard support. They can investigate your account and help resolve any persistent issues.

Understanding Item Rarity and Exclusivity

While most cosmetics transfer, it’s worth noting that certain skins are exceptionally rare due to their original distribution method. Some of the rarest Overwatch skins, that have carried over include:

Widowmaker’s Noire Skin: This skin was a pre-order bonus, making it one of the most exclusive skins in the game.
Pink Mercy: Released as a charity skin to raise money for breast cancer research, making it not only extremely rare but also very meaningful.
Blizzcon Skins (Bastion, Winston): These were only available to attendees of Blizzcon, making them highly prized.
Illidan Genji: Similarly only available to Blizzcon attendees.
Zarya’s Alien Skin: One of the rarest skins in the game.

These rare items have transferred over just like others, however, some skins are not available on console. For example the Oni Genji skin which was earned through completing a challenge, is not available on console play for Overwatch 2.

Changes to the Overwatch 2 Economy

While the cosmetic transfer was straightforward, Overwatch 2 did introduce changes to the game’s economy. Loot boxes are gone, replaced by a shop and battle pass system. This has meant a change in how skins are acquired in game. However, for older items you earned in Overwatch, those should remain in your account.

Shop Refresh

The Overwatch 2 shop refreshes every Tuesday. This offers new cosmetics and items, often in bundles, that can be purchased with in-game currency or real-world money.

Free Skins and In-Game Rewards

It is possible to earn free skins, these can be obtained through in-game rewards and events. For example, connecting your YouTube account and watching live Overwatch League matches can get you in-game rewards.

Earning Coins

You can earn free coins by completing weekly challenges, which can be used to buy other cosmetic items, however you only earn up to 60 free coins this way.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding skins in Overwatch 2, along with detailed answers:

Are all my skins gone in Overwatch 2? No, the vast majority of your skins should have transferred to Overwatch 2. If you don’t see them, double-check your account merge and relink if needed.
Why did I lose all my skins in Overwatch 2? The most common reasons for missing skins are logging into the wrong Battle.net account or not correctly merging console accounts with your Battle.net account.
Am I going to lose all my Overwatch skins? No, you haven’t lost your Overwatch skins and other items in Overwatch 2. They are designed to transfer over to Overwatch 2.
How do I get my Overwatch 2 skin back? Ensure your console and Battle.net accounts are linked. If already linked, try unlinking and then linking again.
Why is my Overwatch account merged but no skins? Try logging out and back into your Overwatch 2 account. If this doesn’t work, unlinking and relinking accounts should resolve most issues.
Why is the shop not showing up in Overwatch 2? This often happens when your account is undergoing a merge. Once the merge is completed, the shop should reappear after logging out and back in.
Can you still get Oni Genji? The Oni Genji skin is no longer available to obtain, and it is not available for console play in Overwatch 2.
Is Noire Widowmaker rare? Yes, Widowmaker’s Noire skin is one of the rarest skins, as it was only available as a pre-order bonus for certain versions of the game.
What is the rarest Mercy skin in OW2? The Pink Mercy skin is one of the rarest in Overwatch, it was released as part of a fundraising campaign for a breast cancer charity.
Is Oni Genji rare? It is not a rare skin, but it can not be acquired any longer. It is also not available on console play.
What is the rarest Widowmaker skin? The Noire Widowmaker skin is generally considered the rarest Widowmaker skin.
Why did my Noire Widowmaker skin disappear? DLC features can sometimes go missing. Manually downloading the DLC may resolve this issue.
What is the rarest Genji skin? The Illidan Genji skin, which was only obtainable by attending Blizzcon in 2019, is the rarest Genji skin.
Why can’t I use the Overwatch shop? Payment issues can result in the shop not working. Removing all payment methods and resetting your password might fix the issue. Account merge in process can also affect access to the shop.
How long to unlock all items in Overwatch 2? Without real-world money it would take 327 years to unlock all items, so it would be impossible to unlock all items this way.

Conclusion

In summary, your Overwatch skins are designed to carry over to Overwatch 2! By merging your accounts correctly and understanding the system, you can ensure that your entire collection is intact. Despite the occasional issues some players face, these are typically easily resolved with a few troubleshooting steps. With all your favorite skins in tow, you’re ready to dive into the world of Overwatch 2 and enjoy the enhanced gameplay.