Overwatch celebrates Chinese New Year

Blizzard are at it again.

Hot on the heels of Overwatch‘s Winter Wonderland event, they have just announced the next event will be a celebration for Chinese New Year: Year of the Rooster beginning January 24.

While not much is known at this point, other than what was shown in the trailer and a leaked image of the available skins for Winston, Reinhardt, Roadhog and Zenyatta, a few eagle-eyed gamers have found some hints and Blizzard breadcrumbs in the actual game itself. One keen observer has noted that the D. Va and Mei skins were actually teased during the Winter Wonderland event in their ornament sprays, while another has found an image in the game which pictures a scribble for Winston’s event skin.

This also comes right on the back of the controversy of Mei’s Winter Wonderland legendary costume, many gamers weren’t happy that it appeared to only be a colour rework, and her main difference was in ice-block form. Hopefully this rework of her skin will be enough to silence those unhappy Overwatch fans. D. Va’s skin is also a complete rework, and will see our favourite mech-wielding menace out of those skin tight duds of hers for the first time. With this being a full event and not just a skin/spray drop, it will be interesting to see what changes to the maps may take place and what special arcade game might appear for the event. If you look over at Heroes of the Storm (another Blizzard title), they currently have a mini-game where you chase a chicken around before the start of the match.

It’s worth mentioning this is the first time Blizzard has placed two events in the same month; normally there would be a reasonable distance between events for players to build those all important in game credits back up. As such, many players may not have the credits saved up to buy these newly released skins, having spent them in the closing days of the Winter Wonderland event. Also worth mentioning: Blizzard is yet to place an end date on this event, Instead only giving us the initial start date. This could be nothing, but one thing fans have come to realise is, with Blizzard, no detail is too small.

Either way this is an exciting time for Overwatch fans and a wonderful step forward for positive representation of other cultures in gaming. Here’s hoping Blizzard are listening and this is only the first small step, of many larger steps taken, towards positive representation for all by this industry leading company.