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The Overwatch 2 Halloween event just dropped and the prices of some of the cosmetics have left players disappointed. There is one new cosmetic in particular that players have taken an issue with and some have even claimed it is possibly illegal. A Kiriko Witch skin is available only as part of a bundle with additional cosmetics and there is no way to get the standalone skin. This can have legal repercussions in some countries according to some fans.
The Kiriko Witch skin bundle is priced at a whopping $40
Players pointed out that the bundle is illegal in some countries where games are not allowed to make items exclusive to packs. The Kiriko Witch bundle is priced at $40 before discounts. For 2,600 coins you can get the bundle which is currently on a discount and there is no way to get just the skin. The cheapest way to get the bundle is to buy a $20 USD bundle for 2,200 Overwatch coins as well as a $4.99 bundle for 500 Overwatch coins.
There is another bundle with a default pricing of around $80 USD. The bundle includes Coffin Bastion, Gargoyle Winston, Flying Dutchman Sigma, and Dragon Symmetra. A lot of players who played Overwatch 1 may have all four skins without having spent anything at all. And now the same skins are being sold in a bundle years later at staggering prices.
Will this lead to legal repercussions for Blizzard Entertainment? Unlikely. Fans on social media platforms pointed out that all Overwatch 2 needs to do is revise the pricing later if it gets into legal trouble. The backlash from fans may lead to changes in pricing but it is unclear if any changes will be implemented.
Before the game’s release players had taken issue with a survey asking if gamers would be willing to buy skins for $20 USD each. The developers responded by saying that the survey had random numbers and it was not indicative of the actual pricing. And yet after the game’s release, skins are being paired with a player icon and a gun charm for $40 USD. The situation has gotten to the point that players would rather have the old loot box system back over the current state of monetization in Overwatch.
