The New Overwatch Skins Are Rare, But Loot Box Odds Haven't Changed

With its latest update, Blizzard answered a common complaint among Overwatch fans. Rather than release new items that can only be obtained for a limited time through an event-specific loot box, it added more than 100 new cosmetics into the standard loot box. That means there's no big hurry to unlock everything--but it also means you're left hoping for a lucky drop from a loot box that contains a lot of stuff.

Since the patch's launch, many players have noticed that obtaining the new skins, in particular, is tough. In our livestream above, we opened 50 loot boxes and didn't get even a single one of the 17 new skins. This has led some to wonder if anything is wrong with the game, but according to Blizzard, it's simply because these items aren't available through an event-specific loot box, as is normally the case with new skins.

"Please keep in mind that unlike during events you're not guaranteed to get a new item in every box," the developer said on Twitter. "These items went into the pool of all available items in the base loot box." In another tweet, it stated, "The loot box odds have not changed."

That may come as little consolation to those who have already opened numerous loot boxes and gotten no new skins, but it does help to set expectations properly. It may also serve as some warning that you may not want to spend real-world money on loot boxes, at least unless you're okay with the possibility that you won't get a new skin. Bear in mind, you can also specifically buy individual skins with credits if you're eager to get your hands on specific ones.

Alongside the skins, the update also introduces new sprays, emotes, highlight intros, and player icons, as well as a new map, Blizzard World. You can check out all the new skins and sprays in our gallery, but it won't be the last of the new content in the near future. A Lunar New Year event is on the way, as are returns of the Uprising and Anniversary events.