Overwatch 2 gets first-ever brand crossover with new season

Overwatch 2's upcoming season will feature the franchise's first-ever brand crossover. Beginning on March 7 and running through April 6, players will be able to earn or purchase skins and cosmetics themed around the hit anime One-Punch Man. 

Prior to Overwatch 2's release last year, Blizzard VP Jon Spector noted that the studio was open to brand crossovers, but wanted to ensure they fit with the hero shooter's world. Doomfist dressed as someone who destroys anything with a literal single punch feels pretty fitting.

Over the years, attention and revenue have gone towards several games that bring non-game properties into the fold. People love anime, and Fortnite in particular has been good at adding megafranchises like Naruto and My Hero Academia to its constantly expanding roster.

The crossover with One-Punch Man will begin with a skin for Doomfist that puts him in the costume of the series' lead hero, Saitama. The original manga released in 2012 from creator ONE and has a three-season anime adaptation, along with a live-action film in development. 

More crossovers with different brands are sure to come for Overwatch 2 in the coming seasons. With a shorter 9-week seasonal schedule and a frequently growing array of characters, Blizzard is a unique position to make its game mixing together with other franchises feel like real events unto themselves.