If you just got back into Overwatch, don't sleep on this feature

New launch and rebranding of Monitoring 2026 has been one of the best updates the game has received since its initial release which Overwatch 2. Not only did it Monitoring introducing 5 new playable heroes at once, but it has also revamped its game modes like Stadium and added sub-roles for each hero in the game as well. With all these new features disappearing at the same time, Monitoring has seen a huge uptick in player numbers, with players who have taken a break from the game jumping back in for the first time in years.

Players logging in Monitoring for the first time in a while will likely notice that there have been some changes to how certain parts of the game work. The user interface for Monitorings home menu has been updated and streamlined, and more quality-of-life features for hero unlocks have been added to make it easier to track down new cosmetics without having to deal with annoying messages lurking in the Hero Gallery. If players have not checked out Monitoring since it was launched as Overwatch 2they may not be aware of the return of Loot Boxes, which could mean they're sitting on tons of free loot just waiting to be earned.

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Overwatch Loot Boxes are now one of the game's best features

When Monitoring First launched in 2016, the biggest controversy surrounding the game was the presence of Loot Boxes as the primary method of obtaining new cosmetics such as skins, sprays and voice lines. Some players were upset by the fact that a pay-to-play game had free-to-play mechanics, despite the fact that a certain number of Loot Boxes could be earned for free. Once Overwatch 2 went free-to-play and dropped Loot Boxes in favor of its Battle Pass and Shop, some players lamented the previous method of acquiring cosmetics, as the Battle Pass offered fewer opportunities for FTP players to earn them.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

Overwatch has been generous with free loot boxes since the Reign of Talon Season 1 relaunch

Loot Boxes returned to Monitoring in Season 15, almost exactly 1 year since 2025. With the return of Loot Boxes, Monitoring players could earn cosmetics from the Battle Pass in addition to free, earnable Loot Boxes that offered a variety of other cosmetics. The Loot Box mechanics have also improved since their return, now offering players the chance to earn 3 Loot Boxes for free per week just by playing matches, with other limited-time events and Battle Passes offering more Loot Boxes as rewards.

All the ways to get Loot Boxes in Overwatch right now

Completing matches each week — 3 shared loot boxes
Participating in the event Talon vs. Overwatch Conquest – 6 regular, 1 epic loot boxes
Twitch Drops (until March 9) — 8 regular, 2 legendary loot boxes
Hero Progression Level Ups — 1 regular at level 5, 3 epic at level 25, 35 and 45, 3 legendary at level 30, 40 and 50
Year of the Horse Limited Event (until March 3rd) – 2 regular, 1 epic loot boxes
Premium Battle Pass – 3 legendary loot boxes

With the launch of Reign of Talon Season 1, returns Monitoring players have the chance to make tons of cosmetics for free with Loot Boxes. The easiest way to get some Loot Boxes each week is simply by participating in matches, as players can earn 3 Common Loot Boxes for playing a total of 27 matches per week. Players can also unlock Loot Boxes as a reward for leveling up a hero through the Hero Progression system. By playing with someone given Monitoring hero long enough, players can unlock a total of 1 Common, 3 Epic and 3 Legendary Loot Boxes.

There are currently two events that offer Loot Boxes as rewards: The Year of the Horse and Talon vs. Overwatch Conquest Events. Talon vs. The Overwatch Conquest Event gives players a total of 6 Common and 1 Epic Loot Box for choosing sides and completing challenges associated with their chosen faction. The Year of the Horse event gives players 2 Common and 1 Epic Loot Box for completing their event challenges.

Players can technically double-dip with Talon vs. Overwatch Conquest Event by completing one faction's challenges and then switching to the other and doing the same for a total of 12 Common and 2 Epic Loot Boxes.

Some Loot Boxes can be earned without even playing a match Monitoring. For a limited time, players can earn a total of 8 Common and 2 Legendary Loot Boxes from watching Monitoring streamers on Twitch for a certain number of hours. There are also 3 Legendary Loot Boxes that can be earned from the Battle Pass, but this requires Monitoring players to purchase the Premium Battle Pass for Reign of Talon Season 1.

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Even Free-To-Play Overwatch players can access shop items via Loot Boxes

To get desirable drops from Monitoring Loot Boxes are also easier than ever, thanks to some changes that have been made since the mechanic returned. For starters, players are guaranteed an Epic-quality item from Epic Loot Boxes and a Legendary-quality item from Legendary Loot Boxes. Even in Common Loot Boxes, players are guaranteed an Epic skin after 5 consecutive moves and a Legendary skin after 20 moves without one.

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Additionally, Loot Boxes are much less likely to give players duplicates of cosmetics they already own. Each duplicate received contributes to earning an additional Common Loot Box. The cherry on top is the latest introduction of the former Monitoring Shop-exclusive skins in Loot Boxes, meaning players missed out on buying some Monitoring skins have the chance to find them for free by opening a Loot Box. The sum of these mechanics creates a much more free-to-play player-friendly system for acquiring new returning cosmetics Monitoring players should take full advantage of.