If you’re a long-time Overwatch 1 player who recently jumped back into Overwatch 2, you’ve probably wondered can you still get loot boxes in Overwatch 2 at some point. Those random reward crates were a core part of the original game’s progression, letting you unlock skins, emotes, voice lines and more without paying extra just for playing matches. A lot of players miss the thrill of popping a crate and scoring a rare legendary skin you’d been chasing for months, so it makes sense you’d want to know if they’re still part of the game. We’ve dug through all the official patch notes, tested the live game ourselves, and broken down exactly how rewards work now, plus any workarounds to get old loot box rewards.
Can You Still Get Loot Boxes in Overwatch 2? The Short Answer
No, you cannot earn or purchase new loot boxes in the live version of Overwatch 2. Blizzard removed the loot box system entirely when Overwatch 2 launched in October 2022, replacing it with a battle pass system and rotating in-game shop to address widespread criticism of loot boxes as a form of unregulated gambling, especially for younger players. That said, there is one small exception to this rule. Any unopened loot boxes you carried over from the original Overwatch are still accessible in your inventory, and you can open them at any time, with all the same rewards you would have gotten in the original game. If you haven’t logged in since the switch, you’ll find all your old unopened crates waiting for you the next time you load up the game.
Blizzard has repeatedly confirmed they have no plans to bring back loot boxes in future updates, so you don’t have to hold out hope for the system to return. The current reward structure is here to stay, though it has been adjusted multiple times over the last two years to be more generous for free-to-play players.
What Happens to Old Loot Box Rewards You Already Own?
All of your existing loot box rewards from Overwatch 1 carry over to Overwatch 2 completely free of charge, no extra steps required. All the items you unlocked from OW1 loot boxes carry over to your Overwatch 2 account for free, including limited-time event skins, rare emotes, custom sprays, and player icons. Even if you haven’t logged in for 5+ years, all of your items will still be there when you sign back in. The only items that don’t carry over are old competitive mode rank badges, but those are purely cosmetic and don’t impact your actual progression.
You also have access to a special currency called Legacy Credits, which replaces the old in-game coins you earned from opening duplicate loot boxes. You can use Legacy Credits to purchase almost all of the original Overwatch 1 skins that were previously only available in loot boxes, even if you never earned them before. Rare skins cost 75 Legacy Credits, epic skins cost 250, and legendary skins cost 1000, so you can save up for the exact skin you want instead of relying on random chance.
Current Overwatch 2 Reward Systems to Use Instead of Loot Boxes
While you can’t earn new loot boxes, these new systems give you far more control over the rewards you get, so you never have to waste hours grinding only to get a bunch of duplicate voice lines you don’t want. The main reward systems active right now are:
- Free and paid battle passes: Each 9-week season has an 80-tier battle pass with free rewards including Legacy Credits, skins, emotes, and voice lines for playing matches and completing challenges. You don’t have to pay for the premium pass to earn most of the basic rewards, and you can unlock new heroes for free on the free track now too.
- Weekly and daily challenges: Completing short in-game tasks like winning 3 quick play matches or healing 10,000 HP as a support hero gives you battle pass XP, Legacy Credits, and even occasional free cosmetic rewards. Most players can finish all weekly challenges in 5-6 hours of play per week, so it’s easy to progress without grinding nonstop.
- Event-specific reward tracks: Every seasonal event like Halloween Terror or Summer Games has its own limited-time reward track with exclusive skins, sprays, and player icons you can earn just by playing event matches. Many of these are nods to classic OW1 event loot box rewards, so you can still get those fan-favorite skins without paying extra.
A lot of players complain that the new system is slower than earning loot boxes every few levels, but it does have one big benefit: you know exactly what you’re working toward. You don’t have to cross your fingers and hope for a lucky roll to get the skin you want, you can just plan out your grind to hit the right battle pass tier or save up enough Legacy Credits to buy it directly.
Tips for Unlocking Rare Overwatch 2 Cosmetics Without Spending Money
Even without loot boxes, you can build an impressive collection of skins without spending a dime if you plan your rewards carefully. The first tip is to prioritize battle pass tiers that give out Legacy Credits, because that’s the only way to get old OW1 legendary skins for free. You get 1,500 Legacy Credits per free battle pass track if you finish all 80 tiers, which is enough to buy one legendary OW1 skin and two epic skins, no real money required.
Second, make sure to log in and play at least a few matches during every seasonal event. The limited-time event tracks often have exclusive legendary skins for free that you can’t get anywhere else, and you only need to play 10-15 matches to unlock all the free rewards on most event tracks. I’ve gotten 7 free legendary skins from event tracks over the last two years, and none of them required me to buy a premium battle pass or spend real money.
Third, don’t waste your Legacy Credits on common items like basic sprays or common voice lines. Those items are often given out for free on battle pass tracks or event rewards, so save your Legacy Credits for the legendary skins you really want, since they take a while to earn. If you see a limited-time legendary skin in the shop that you love, check if it’s available for Legacy Credits first before you even think about buying it with premium Overwatch Coins.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you still get loot boxes in Overwatch 2 is mostly no, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get all the classic rewards you loved from the original game. The new reward system is more transparent, avoids the gambling concerns that came with loot boxes, and still lets you earn tons of free cosmetics just for playing regularly. If you still have unopened loot boxes from OW1 sitting in your inventory, go ahead and pop them now for a fun hit of nostalgia, and then start saving up those Legacy Credits for the skins you missed out on the first time around. You won’t get that random rush of opening a loot box anymore, but you’ll never waste hours grinding only to get a bunch of duplicate items either, which is a fair trade for most players.