Overwatch celebrates the Summer Olympics with limited time loot boxes

Blizzard Entertainment is now selling Summer Olympics-themed loot boxes for Overwatch, as seen on the British PlayStation Store. The add-on content is available from now until Aug. 22, right after the closing ceremonies of this year’s Games, held in Rio.

The loot boxes include four random, Summer Games-themed items, like skins, emotes, victory poses and icons. There are 90 in total, and the store listing notes that none of the content will be available to purchase with credit earned through playing Overwatch. That’s unlike other cosmetic goods, which players can pick up in the Hero Gallery using the in-game currency. If players receive a duplicate item, however, they’ll be able to trade it in for credits as per usual.

As with the typical Overwatch loot box, players can pick up two for $1.99. (Although they’re not on sale in American storefronts yet, the British PlayStation Store is selling them for the equivalent of £1.69.) We’ll keep you posted on when the loot boxes are on sale in other marketplaces.

Even without an official announcement about the new loot boxes, players have taken to Blizzard's forums and Reddit to bemoan the items' exclusivity. Those who have amassed a number of credits have begun petitioning the developer to make the Olympics-themed gear available to purchase using the currency.

Streamers and other Overwatch influencers received packages hinting toward the special Summer Games-themed content last night. Pictures of the mailers teased some of the skins that players can look forward to, like a bodybuilding look for Zarya and a track-and-field outfit for Tracer.