Blizzard announced the return of the annual Overwatch Summer Games event, releasing information about new skins and weekly challenges. The event, which begins today, will run until Aug. 5. And of course a new Overwatch event means new skins. Let’s take a look at each of them and discuss the pros, cons, and just plain weirdness of this year’s beachwear.
Surf ‘N’ Splash (Torbjorn) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
The Overwatch team has returned to the Dad Well, giving Torbjorn a new skin that lets him get his guns out. They gave him a fanny pack because of course he’d have a fanny pack, and his hammer is inflatable now. When games hit peak Dad with God of War last year, we didn’t ask ourselves what would happen on the other, less serious side of the spectrum. I fear that it’s too late to turn back.
Also, look at my man’s legs. They’re tree stumps.
Lucioball (Hammond) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
In an effort to redeem the image of Lúcioball, the International Lúcioball Commission (the ILC) has partnered with Hammond for a new skin for his escapades as Wrecking Ball. According to a (fake and actually made up by me) press release, the “ILC x Wrecking Ball” collaboration will extend to all of Hammond’s social platforms, and the intelligent hamster will appear at the Lúcioball Grand Finals later this Summer.
There’s no news on whether or not the partnership will result in anything that will make Lúcioball fun or interesting, however.
Kendoka (Genji) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
The sticks used in traditional kendo are made of bamboo, so the people participating in the traditional Japanese martial art don’t get sliced to death by real swords. Has anyone passed this information along to Genji? Is he out here running around with his regular-ass Dragonblade, or did someone replace it with a high quality bamboo replica? The public deserves answers.
Wave (Hanzo) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
They gave Hanzo a vest (that’s too small, because of course) and shorts. He’s also got water socks on. Nerd.
American (Reaper) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
When Reaper uses his ultimate he spins around in a circle, shouting while shooting guns at people. Even though his proclivity to use his ultimate is well telegraphed and obvious, vary rarely do the other members of your team do anything to prevent the carnage. The subsequent infighting lasts for a bit before your team moves on, only to be surprised when it happens again a few minutes later.
On an entirely unrelated note, Reaper’s new skin is just the American flag.
Zhongguo (Mei) & Bundesadler (Reinhardt) – Overwatch Summer Games Skins
It isn’t until I see interpretations of the national colors of other countries that I realize that the US’ usual move is to interpret red, white, and blue as “just make the whole damn thing the flag, what else are we supposed to do with all of these stripes”. These seem more subtle than that, so I like ’em.
As per usual, all of the other Summer Games skins are available in loot boxes until the end of the event, so if you’re trying to get D.Va’s Waveracer skin like I have, you have a little more than a month to do so.
