Overwatch is fully prepared for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, complete with limited run collectibles, player skins, and a new Brawl mode. Called the Summer Games, the 20-day event is the first of its kind for the popular shooter; which is possibly a sign of things to come in the future.
To be fair, this does not seem to be an official promotional tie-in with the Olympics. The 2016 games are not mentioned anywhere in the game or the official announcement, and the connection is largely implied. Of course, it helps that Overwatch already has a Brazilian character in Lucio.
Loot boxes during the Summer Games event will drop with a different look; one that bears a striking similarity to the Olympic motif. There are about 100 new drops available during the event, and players are guaranteed to get at least one Summer Games drop in their loot boxes.
Naturally, there are new themed skins for the characters. Some characters get a sport, such as Tracer as a sprinter, Zarya as a weightlifter, and Widowmaker as a targetshooter. On the other hand, some characters are simply sporting some sort of patriotic outfit to represent their country of origin; notably McCree wearing the American flag as a poncho.
The down side to the event is that the new drops cannot be bought using in-game credit. Instead, players will have to hope for the best when opening loot crates. Admittedly, there is still the option to grind for loot boxes for those who would rather not buy them using real money.
Finally, the new Summer Games Brawl mode looks like Blizzard has completely copied Rocket League. Instead of cars, players will instead all be playing Lucio (because Brazil) and use his Sonic Pulse attack to move the giant ball.
Overwatch’s Summer Games begins today, and will last until 22 August; giving players a very short amount of time to collect all the new loot.
[Source: Overwatch]
