Blizzard has decided to make amends with one of the nations, as players can soon get access to 10 Mythic skins as part of the 10-year anniversary of the game.

According to a report by GameRant, Overwatch 2 will celebrate its 10th anniversary by giving away 10 free Mythic skins to players in China. This unprecedented move aims to compensate the community for a two-year game blackout following a licensing dispute.

Overwatch players in China were unable to play the game for two years, from January 2023 to January 2025. According to an announcement on Weibo shared by insider @SkaVorah, the 10th-anniversary celebration series of events will officially commence on May 13, with the promotional image showcasing 14 Mythics.

The two-year gap was due to the expiration of the agreement with NetEase, but a renewed partnership between NetEase and Blizzard brought the game back to China.

The insider has also shared that the fan-made contest in China, where the Firefighter Wuyang skin won, is also coming to the game, along with the “personal trainer” Vendetta skin coming in mid-season.

Although it is a generous gesture towards the players from China, other players around the world expect some grand rewards as well from the company.

Let us look at how Blizzard has given back to the community in China for not being able to play the game for 2 years.

A Decade of Overwatch Lore In China

Since its original launch in 2016, Overwatch has seen many players from China, increasing the game's player count. Due to players in China not having access to the game for two years, players missed several seasons from 3 to 14.

Although the players could have bought the cosmetics that were coming out in the meantime, they surely weren't available for cheap, with a single Mythic skin costing around $80.

So when Blizzard settled their disagreement into a renewal of the partnership between itself and NetEase, Blizzard wanted the players to have the most of this opportunity and came up with several festivals and events to give back to the once-lost community.

The list of festivals and events included the OW x Naraka: Bladepoint event, the Neon Pulse Music Festival, the Black Claw Archive, and an expanded Loverwatch Valentine's Day holiday.

Although players in China are receiving precious gifts, players globally should not feel disappointed, as Blizzard is set to launch the 10th anniversary event worldwide as well. Although the game will not provide 10 Mythic skins globally, there will still be some interesting rewards for fans.

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Written by

Dhruv Singh

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi