Blizzard will stop selling Overwatch loot boxes in August

polygon.com:

Overwatch’s latest Anniversary Remix event — the game’s third and final such event — kicks off Tuesday, giving seasoned fans of Blizzard’s hero shooter another batch of skins and a chance to revisit limited-time game modes. The Overwatch Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event will also bring about the end of loot box sales in the game — Blizzard says that when the current event ends on Aug. 30, players will no longer be able to purchase loot boxes.

Players will still be able to earn standard loot boxes through gameplay after the end of the event.

Overwatch 2, which will launch in October as a free-to-play game, will do away with loot boxes entirely. And since Overwatch 2 will replace the original Overwatch when the sequel launches, that will mean the end of loot boxes altogether. Overwatch 2 will instead follow a seasonal model, with paid and free battle passes through which players can earn cosmetics. Blizzard will also sell cosmetic items piecemeal, but content like heroes and maps will continue to be free.

Loot boxes in Overwatch and other games have been controversial, and some countries have outright banned the sale of random goods like loot boxes in games. They’ve also been a hotly contested feature with players, who sometimes balk at the amount of money that would be required to unlock everything through random chance.

Overwatch Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 runs in the original Overwatch from Aug. 9 to Aug. 30. Players will be able to compete in pre-existing Arcade brawls and earn remixed cosmetics through weekly challenges and in loot boxes.

Below, you’ll find the schedule of Overwatch Anniversary Remix Vol. 3’s rollout of events, direct from Blizzard.

Relive Past Missions

Overwatch Archives Missions will be available to