Blizzard may have been looking for a clean slate when they launched Overwatch 2, but they still managed to ensure that anyone onboard for the first Overwatch would still get something out of the sequel, and everything they worked on from the first game would be for something.
Overwatch 2 may be free-to-play for everyone now, but there are some special perks that the game manages to give to Overwatch 1 players to ensure that their progress on the first game wouldn’t go forsaken.
Changing Overwatch Credits to Overwatch 2 Credits
Overwatch launched in 2016 and started a boom in the hero shooter genre. Though players can get their hands on other Overwatch clones like Valorant and Paladins for free, players had to pay a base price for the original Overwatch.
Besides a solid gameplay loop, OW was filled with all kinds of cosmetics. However, the only way to get them was through lootboxes or Overwatch credits—the main currency in the game. You could earn credits via a lucky lootbox or buy them in the Overwatch store with money.
By the time Overwatch 2 launched, Blizzard had decided to remove the lootbox mechanic completely. The game is now free-to-play, and more mechanics have been set for players to spend cash on cosmetics.
Sure, there’s a Battle Pass where players can grind their way to free items and credits. Still, any player who is too busy to spend all the time playing could simply spend their money on any specific skins or emotes—particularly ones that will only be available for a limited amount of time.
What are Overwatch Legacy Credits?
When Overwatch closed, and all the players were moved to Overwatch 2, Blizzard ensured players that their collections and unlocks would be ported to the sequel. We know that skins emotes, and voice lines stayed the same. However, there had to be something done with the accumulated OW Credits and the lootboxes.
Enter Legacy Credits. Legacy credits are simply the Overwatch Credits a player has from the first game. These will be converted to a new currency for Overwatch 2. With Legacy Credits, players can purchase all kinds of skins, emotes, highlight intros, stickers, and victory poses.
As for lootboxes, the developers have revealed that any unopened lootboxes would be automatically opened for players, and their contents would be added to their hero galleries.
Can You Get Legacy Credits in Overwatch 2?
Technically, getting more Legacy Credits for Overwatch 2 is not possible. Legacy Credits only exist for players who played Overwatch and have ported to Overwatch 2.
For now, the only way to get them is if someone who had purchased the game before they shut down the servers would decide to register their account to Overwatch 2 now. Like every other legacy player, their accumulated loot from the first game, like lootboxes and OW Credits, would be converted to in-game currency for OW2.
The Current Set-Up
Overwatch 2 launched without an OW Credits system, which led to a lot of ire from the communities. However, they decided to bring the Overwatch Credits system back this year.
Besides Overwatch coins, players can now earn credits in-game for playing. They can also use that currency to buy items outside of what’s being provided by the Battle Pass. By the end of the season, if the player is consistent enough, they can even earn a Legendary Skin. However, not all Legendary Skins are purchasable with OW Credits; a good variety is.
The current OW currency system still has a lot of bugs, as per the community. However, compared to the launch, at least the developers managed to bring in a way for players to earn some trophies by simply playing and not having to spend some actual cash.
