One of the major complaints levied against Overwatch 2 is how it stifles the first game's sense of progression with its new free-to-play model. Matches no longer give you the chance to win loot boxes that can contain any cosmetic, and there are no weekly arcade challenges to earn those same loot boxes. The only way to get cosmetics is to purchase them via the store with real money or to buy the battle pass. However, due to backlash, Blizzard is making some changes for the next season.
As reported by PCGamesN, Overwatch 2 is bringing back Legacy Credits that will be implemented into the battle pass. Even if you don't buy the battle pass, the free version will have 1,500 Credits, which is enough to get a legendary skin. If you do buy the battle pass, you'll be able to earn 500 more Credits.
Credits are separate to Overwatch Coins which can be earned in small amounts each week or bought with real money, meaning that there are now two currencies - one premium, one in-game. And while Credits can be used to buy skins, Blizzard said that it's "looking into additional ways for players to use Credits in the future."
As for what you'll be able to buy with these Overwatch Credits, Blizzard said that "nearly all the epic and legendary-tier skins prior to Overwatch 2's launch will always be available in the hero gallery for purchase with either Overwatch Coins or Credits." Not only does this mean you can get the original games' all-year-round skins, but its seasonal ones too, even outside of the event period.
To make it possible to purchase these by completing the battle pass, legendary skins will be lowered to 1,500 Overwatch Coins and Credits, making it possible to earn one high-tier reward per season without spending any real money. It's not the same level of rewarding progression as the original, but it's a huge leap from Overwatch 2's base monetisation model.
Another common criticism with Overwatch 2 is how it has been handling events, which have not only been more frequent but less rewarding and more grind heavy. Blizzard addressed this in the same blog post, stating that it "did not expect that players would pursue all hero titles during [Battle for Olympus]", admitting that "some challenges were too difficult to complete in aggregate". As such, the mode will return as a team deathmatch version in custom games next time.
Blizzard also addressed that returning events "don't feel as exciting", and so it is "working to offer rewards that are new for all players more consistently." For Season 3, that means one of the upcoming events will have a new legendary, with Season 4 onward promising new items.
Finally, Blizzard ended its announcement by discussing the on fire system which it has begun to revamp. "While still in the early stages, we have begun to design work on a hero-based progression system that would showcase the energy players put into playing each hero and mastering their different capabilities," Blizzard said. "We know this is an area that you all care about deeply, and we will look forward to providing more updates as we continue our work here."