Overwatch 2’s new season has Monster Hunter vibes and all-new weapon skins

polygon.com:

Overwatch 2 season 8 starts Tuesday, Dec. 5, bringing some big Monster Hunter vibes with its battle pass skins, a brand-new game mode, and the official release of new tank hero Mauga, whom players got to spend a weekend with back in November. Season 8 of Overwatch 2 will also introduce new levels of customization, with all-new weapon skins.

There’s a lot going in season 8, including the return of seasonal events Winter Wonderland 2023 and Lunar New Year 2024. Those limited time events will see the return of their respective game modes: Mei’s Snowball Offensive, Yeti Hunt, Capture the Flag, and Bounty Hunter Deathmatch. Overwatch 2’s version of Prop Hunt, known as Mischief and Magic, is also returning in season 8, this time on Lijiang Night Market.

Before any of those limited time game modes return, however, Overwatch 2 players will get something new: The Battle of the Beasts, a PvPvE mode that will pit two teams of four against each other and two gigantic Orisas. The Battle of the Beasts will also be an opportunity for all Overwatch 2 players to try out Mauga for free.

Here’s a sneak peek at season 8’s Call of the Hunt-themed cosmetics, for characters like Junker Queen, Wrecking Ball, Moira, and Orisa, and a peek at The Battle of the Beasts game mode:

Overwatch 2 players will finally be able to customize their weapons — beyond making them glittering golden, that is — with new weapon skins. The first batch of weapon skins will be based on Hard Light, the force field-like tech used by Symmetra. Three characters are confirmed to have Hard Light weapon skins: Mercy, Reaper, and Reinhardt, which you can see in the gallery below.

Season 8 of Overwatch 2 will also bring new Hero Mastery courses to the game. Starting on Jan. 2,