Overwatch announces Summer Games 2021: start date, skins, more

Blizzard has officially announced the dates and even given us a teaser on some of the skins we’ll be getting for Summer Games this year, so let’s take a look at what’s in store.

When it comes to Overwatch seasonal events, you’ll have a hard time finding one that gets players more excited than Summer Games. Already the event that offers up some of the best skins in the game, that seems set to continue in 2021.

On July 18, Blizzard announced that Summer Games would be starting on Tuesday, July 20 — Tuesday being Overwatch’s usual patch day — and even gave us a preview of some of the skins coming this year. Symmetra mains, Blizzard has finally answered your prayers.

Up front and center in the preview trailer is a gorgeous mermaid skin for Symmetra — and considering she’s been on one of the longest Legendary skin droughts of any hero in Overwatch — this news is like manna from heaven for all the Sym mains out there.

The purple and blue aquatic getup will certainly be top of most players’ lists to unlock for Summer Games 2021, but let’s not overlook what also just might be the best B.O.B. skin of all time.

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Yeah, Ashe is wearing an appropriate sunhat and rocking a Super-Soaker, but B.O.B. has been blessed with a Flamingo pool tube on his head — which might be the greatest single piece of headwear in all of Overwatch.

Mei also gets a shout in the Summer Games trailer with a skin that makes her look like a drive-up ice cream shop attendant. This will be her second skin depicting her as an employee of a confection shop, along with the boba-themed Honeydew Mei.

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If you look closely though, the highlight of this cosmetic has to be Mei’s trusty sidekick Snowball, who gets turned into an adorable little ice cream cone, complete with chocolate dip and sprinkles.

Besides new skins we can also expect the return of our favorite Summer Games fare: Lucioball. As in years past devs might have come up with a couple different versions of the classic mode, so we’ll have to see if anything’s new this year.

Like we mentioned, Overwatch’s Summer Games 2021 event starts on Tuesday, July 20. So make sure you’re saving those coins to unlock Symmetra, B.O.B., Mei, or any of the other skins that still have to be revealed by the time things get going.