Loot boxes were once one of the most controversial parts of Overwatch, giving players the chance to pay real money for a random reward. The decision to remove them for Overwatch 2 was largely seen as a major improvement, which makes it all the more surprising that players are now celebrating their return just as much as several seemingly more impactful updates coming to the game.
Blizzard Entertainment explained how its revamped loot boxes will work in a recent blog post, and it’s a big change from the original, much more divisive system. The most important change is that players will no longer have to pay for loot boxes. Originally, Overwatch’s loot boxes worked the same way they do in most games – players can pay real money to purchase one, earning a random set of rewards, will lower chances to receive an item the better it is. In other words, it’s indistinguishable from gambling, and several countries regulate them under their gambling laws for that reason.
