Overwatch Anniversary Event begins, skins, maps and more revealed

It’s officially been a full year since the launch of Overwatch on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Blizzard’s decided to celebrate that marker with an in-game event. That means new Arena Maps, skins, emotes, player cards, tags and more.

Yes, that means we finally have those fresh Hanzo and Symmetra skins we’ve been promised, though I’m not super keen on either, truth be told. Just tellin’ it like it is, my friends!

Here’s the sizzle trailer with the news from Blizzard.

The event runs from May 23 until June 12, 2017. That means you have plenty of time to play, level up and earn some loot boxes. There are more than 100 items in total to find or buy with credits.

The Arena Maps will be accessible in the game’s Arcade Mode, of course, as they are much smaller and meant for fewer players on each team. They don’t work in the standard play settings.

Finally, if you’re completely new to Overwatch, there’s now a Game of the Year Edition on offer. It sells for $39.99, and it includes a bunch of extras. Here’s the full rundown from Blizzard, which we received by way of email.

[Overwatch] Enjoy 10 Standard Loot Boxes, each containing a collection of random items that can be used to customize your favorite heroes. Loot Boxes may include skins, emotes, victory poses, voice lines, sprays, and highlight intros, as well as credits you can use to unlock a variety of different customization options.

[Overwatch] Origins Skins: Pay homage to the original Overwatch strike force with vintage skins of Blackwatch Reyes for Reaper and Strike-Commander Morrison for Soldier: 76. Explore other heroes’ origins with Overgrown Bastion, Security Chief Pharah, and Slipstream Tracer.

[Diablo III] Mercy’s Wings: Slay demonic forces throughout the High Heavens and Burning Hells while donning Mercy’s wings, and all of Sanctuary will know of your allegiance to Overwatch!

[StarCraft II] Player Portraits: These picture-perfect portraits of Tracer, Reaper, Pharah, Winston, Bastion, and Soldier: 76 give new meaning to the phrase “Hero of the Koprulu Sector.”

[Hearthstone] Overwatch Card Back: If you happen to find yourself in a Tavern Brawl, show your opponent you’ve got backup with an Overwatch-themed card back.

[World of Warcraft] Baby Winston Pet: Adorably cuddly and highly intellectual, the Baby Winston pet will be at your side as you fight to extinguish the Burning Legion.

[Heroes of the Storm] Tracer Hero: The cavalry’s here! Jump into the Nexus with Tracer and surprise your enemies in the blink of an eye.

Any new players joining the fray? You should, as this game is incredible.