Overwatch just got a surprise update to coincide with the Olympics in Rio. While not a licensed brand deal, the Olympic-themed seasonal event, Summer Games, brings a lot of new appropriately themed cosmetics in the form of new skins, emotes, victory poses, highlight intros, voice lines and sprays. The three (6, counting palette swaps) new legendary skins are the highlight: a legendary Zarya skin that looks cool! Track and Field Tracer! Lucio finally picking up a sport any stereotypical Brazilian should be associated to!
The catch? All these new cosmetics have to be earned only by opening the summer loot boxes, which now replaces the normal loot box. These summer loot boxes guarantees a summer-themed cosmetic item, but the usual caveat applies: it’s random, you could just only get a spray instead of that sweet new Lucio skin, and you could get that same spray again which nets you 1/5 of its price in in-game currency.
Initial testing after grinding a few levels prove this to be true- but if you’re lucky enough, you could get all 100 cosmetic items entirely by just gaining levels and opening loot boxes. You will get one loot box just for logging in during the event. However, these items can only be gained throughout the event only, which ends August 23, and no, you cannot purchase them with in-game currency. Blizzard intends to make it rare, so you would be excited when the event comes up again, opening another chance to score the cosmetic stuff. Though it does feel like you’re going to need to spend some cash if you really, really want to get them all.
You have been warned.
Questionable acts of micro-transactions aside, the new brawl available, Lucioball, is something you should try out. It’s a Rocket League inspired mode where 3 Lucios battle another team of Lucios in a form of football played by booping a giant ball. Most brawls before this are just custom settings that can be replicated in custom matches, but Lucioball could be an all new game mode in and of itself, as it is played in a brand new map, Estádio das Rãs, a different announcer with new voice lines, some changes to how Lucio’s abilities work for the game mode and little touches thrown in like a replay camera after a goal and special commend cards for scoring and saving goals. It’s neat!
Check out the official blog post here for the details on how Lucioball works.
The Summer Event update, version 1.2, should have hit the PC already and will also be available for PS4 and Xbox One. If you wish to grind your way for new cosmetics, the event will run until August 23.