If you’ve ever queued into a quick play match and spotted a teammate showing off a flashy, fully customized Cyber Demon Genji or Zeus Junker Queen skin that you’ve never seen in the current shop, you’ve probably asked yourself can you get old mythic skins in Overwatch 2. Mythic skins are the highest tier of cosmetic in the game, featuring customizable color palettes, weapon designs, and even voice line variants that make them way more unique than standard legendary skins. I missed out on the first three mythic skins myself when I first started playing, so I spent weeks digging through official patch notes and community posts to figure out how to grab them later. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, no fluff or fake hacks included.
Can You Get Old Mythic Skins in Overwatch 2? The Short Answer
For the first year of Overwatch 2’s release, the official answer was no. Blizzard initially stated that mythic skins would be exclusive to their original season’s premium battle pass, with no plans to rerun them for players who missed the window. That changed in late 2023, when the team announced they would be bringing back old mythic skins via limited-time events and a new dedicated in-game shop section, following widespread feedback from players who joined the game after the first few seasons. Mythic skins never enter the regular in-game shop for permanent purchase, so you will have to wait for their specific rerun window to unlock one. The only exception is if you bought the original season’s premium battle pass and never finished leveling it up, you can still earn the mythic skin by earning XP even after the season ends.
All Valid Ways to Unlock Returning Mythic Skins
There are only three official, Blizzard-approved ways to get old mythic skins once their original season ends. None of these require you to spend extra money beyond what you would normally spend on a premium battle pass, if you choose to pay for one at all.
- Mythic Shop reruns: Added in Season 9, the rotating Mythic Shop features two old mythic skins at a time, each available for 10 mythic prisms. You earn one full mythic prism for free when you reach tier 80 of any premium battle pass, and you can earn small fragments of prisms from the free battle pass track and limited-time event challenges. Mythic prisms are the only consistent currency for unlocking old mythic skins, so it’s a good idea to save them if you have a specific skin you want.
- Retrospective battle pass events: A few times a year, Blizzard runs limited-time retrospective events that bring back old premium battle passes for 2 to 4 weeks. You can purchase the premium track for the usual 1000 Overwatch Coins, and level it up with XP to earn the original season’s mythic skin, plus all other cosmetics from that pass, just like you would during the original season. These events are usually announced 2 to 3 weeks in advance on official Overwatch channels.
- Official tournament and community event prizes: On very rare occasions, Blizzard gives away old mythic skins as prizes for official Overwatch League viewing challenges, community creative contests, or ranked competitive season end rewards for top-tier players. These don’t require any purchase to enter, but they are highly competitive, so they’re not a reliable way to get the specific skin you want.
One key thing to note here is that You can't purchase mythic prisms directly with real money, no matter how much you’re willing to spend. The only way to earn them is through battle pass progression and occasional event challenges, which means you’ll have to plan ahead if you’re saving for a specific skin. I’m currently sitting on 12 mythic prisms right now, waiting for the Space Ranger Tracer skin from season 4 to rerun, and it’s taken me about 7 months of playing a few hours a week to save up that amount.
Common Scams to Avoid When Hunting for Old Mythic Skins
Since old mythic skins are rare and can’t be bought directly, there are tons of scams floating around online targeting players who are desperate to get their favorite skin fast. I’ve seen dozens of posts on Reddit and Discord from people who lost their accounts or hundreds of dollars falling for these tricks, so it’s important to know what to watch out for. Blizzard never distributes mythic skin codes outside official, verified channels, so any site or person claiming to sell a code for an old mythic skin is lying, no matter how legitimate their website or social media profile looks. Another common scam is people offering to trade or sell you an account that has the mythic skin you want. Account sharing or trading violates Overwatch 2's Terms of Service and can lead to a permanent ban for both the buyer and the seller, even if you pay for the account upfront. The original owner can always report the account as stolen and get it back, leaving you with nothing. Fake giveaways on social media are also super common, usually asking you to click a link and enter your account login information to claim a free mythic skin. Never enter your account password on any site that isn’t the official Blizzard website, no matter what they’re offering.
Tips to Maximize Your Chances of Getting Your Favorite Old Mythic Skin
Getting the old mythic skin you want doesn’t have to take years, as long as you plan ahead and follow a few simple rules. First, don’t spend your mythic prisms on skins you only sort of like. The Mythic Shop rotates every 4 weeks, so if a skin you don’t love is in the shop, just wait for the next rotation instead of wasting your prisms. Most old mythic skins rerun once every 6 to 9 months, so you won't have to wait years to grab the one you want. Second, follow the official Overwatch X (formerly Twitter) account and sign up for the Blizzard newsletter to get early notice of retrospective battle pass events and mythic shop rotation schedules. That way you can save up Overwatch Coins or plan your play time to level up the retrospective pass before the event ends. Third, make sure to complete all free event challenges that offer mythic prism fragments, even if you don’t have the premium battle pass. You only need 10 fragments to make a full prism, and you can usually earn 2 to 3 fragments per event without spending any money. If you play consistently, you can earn enough prisms to unlock one old mythic skin every 3 to 4 months, even if you never buy the premium battle pass.
At the end of the day, if you’ve been wondering can you get old mythic skins in Overwatch 2, the answer is a clear yes, as long as you’re willing to be patient and stick to official unlock methods. There are no secret hacks or fast passes to get the skin you want overnight, but the process is fair and accessible to all players, whether you spend money on the game or not. I’m still waiting for my favorite season 4 Tracer skin to come back around, but knowing I have enough prisms saved up for when it does makes the wait totally worth it. Just avoid the scams, save your prisms, and keep an eye out for rerun announcements, and you’ll be showing off your dream mythic skin in matches before you know it.