Overwatch 2 skin criticisms are a double standard compared to Marvel Rivals

Despite having similar monetization plans for most of their skins, the criticism surrounding Overwatch 2’s skins have reached a double standard when compared to Marvel Rivals.

Overwatch 2’s cosmetic pricing has always been controversial, especially after it swapped from a free-to-play lootbox model to pure microtransactions. Criticisms only grew after the community had the opportunity to compare some of Overwatch’s skins with Marvel Rivals.

But while much of the backlash against Overwatch’s skins is perfectly valid, and there’s a strong argument for Marvel Rivals’ cosmetics being superior, some of the criticism has started to lean into a double standard.

Overwatch skins aren’t that bad

It’s true that many of Overwatch’s skins are expensive, and many of the game’s recent cosmetics have been recolors. One problematic aspect of the skin system in Overwatch 2 is how much money the game charges for a simple recolor, with not enough detail to justify the price tag.

However, Overwatch’s pricing model does allow many players to enjoy some of the more premium skin offerings. Overwatch lets players earn Overwatch Coins for free as unpaid Battle Pass rewards. Currently, these rewards allow players to save up to and buy a battle pass every two seasons or so without spending a penny.

Blizzard Entertainment

Overwatch also recently introduced Maximilien’s Vault, which provides discounts on skins for characters you frequently use. While the current iteration of the shop has been criticized for some sloppy implementation, it’s highly doubtful that Blizzard won’t continue to refine the shop and players will eventually find a skin they desire at a decent discount.

Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals hasn’t really revolutionized how cosmetics are priced. While many would fairly argue that Marvel Rivals’ skins tend to be of a higher quality, the HQ skins you can get from both games are around the same price.

For a simple price comparison, the Juno Celestial bundle, which contains a high-quality Juno skin and other cosmetics, will cost around $30. For the same amount, you can purchase the Dancing Lions bundle in Marvel Rivals and only get slightly more content.

Netease

Many criticize Overwatch’s tendency to overprice “recolored skins,” but Marvel Rivals does the same thing with some of its recolors. In fact, the game has its own fair share of visually uninspiring skins.

Overwatch can certainly improve how its cosmetics are released, but many issues players cite with Overwatch’s monetization can also be applied to Marvel Rivals. While the rivalry between the two games keeps raging, it’d be mindful to keep criticism balanced and fair.