Overwatch is officially celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, with Blizzard Entertainment announcing a new in-game anniversary event packed with cosmetic rewards, loot boxes, and community challenges.

The Overwatch Anniversary 2026 event is scheduled to begin on May 12 and will run until June 1 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Blizzard confirmed that the celebration will include a variety of limited-time rewards tied to the franchise’s decade-long history since the original Overwatch launched on May 24, 2016.

The anniversary celebration arrives during a major transitional year for Overwatch following the game’s large-scale overhaul earlier in 2026.

Overwatch Anniversary 2026 Event Details

According to Blizzard, the Overwatch Anniversary 2026 event will feature several cosmetic rewards and unlockable items for players throughout the event period.

The developer confirmed that players can expect 21 launch hero skins, 15 anniversary loot boxes, 33 community-made and developer-created 2D cosmetics, and five special weapon charms themed around the game’s 10-year milestone. One of the showcased weapon charms includes a “10” design paired with Mercy-inspired wings.

At the time of writing, Blizzard has not yet revealed the complete lineup of skins or confirmed which heroes will receive the anniversary cosmetics. However, promotional artwork for the event prominently features characters such as Mercy, Tracer, and Winston, suggesting that the original Overwatch roster will play a major role in the celebration.

Blizzard also teased additional announcements still planned ahead of the event launch.

Community Challenges and Exclusive Rewards

In addition to cosmetic items, Blizzard confirmed that the anniversary event will feature special community challenges where players work together to complete objectives and unlock rewards.

Players will also be able to earn exclusive anniversary-themed player titles during the event. Weekly legendary loot box rewards are expected to be part of the progression system, though Blizzard has not yet fully detailed how the challenges will function.

The event follows Blizzard’s continued effort to increase player engagement after the major relaunch of Overwatch earlier this year.

Overwatch Relaunch Continues Into 2026

Earlier in 2026, Blizzard implemented one of the biggest changes in the franchise’s history by removing the “2” branding and reverting the title back to simply Overwatch. The overhaul also included major gameplay updates, system improvements, and significant changes to the game’s narrative direction.

The relaunch introduced five new heroes during Season 1, with Blizzard confirming that five additional heroes are planned throughout the rest of the year. The update represented a substantial shift for the hero shooter following years of criticism surrounding the transition from the original Overwatch to Overwatch 2.

Since the relaunch, Blizzard has continued expanding the game through seasonal updates and new content releases across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Junkrat’s Loot Hunt Event Still Active

Ahead of the Overwatch 10th Anniversary event, players still have limited time to participate in the currently active Junkrat’s Loot Hunt event.

Running from May 8 to May 12, the event allows players to earn up to nine free loot boxes while also granting double Battle Pass XP progression. Once the event concludes, Blizzard will immediately transition into the larger Overwatch Anniversary 2026 celebration.

With the anniversary event set to begin this week, Blizzard appears to be positioning Overwatch’s 10th year as a major milestone period for the franchise as the studio continues supporting the game’s latest era.