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Evening Standard
Technology
Saqib Shah

Overwatch 2’s Winter Wonderland event features a snowball deathmatch

You’ll need to tune into Twitch to grab the Sleighing Legendary D.Va Skin

(Picture: Activision Blizzard)

Overwatch 2 is launching its Winter Wonderland event complete with special arcade game modes and challenges that can earn players frosty rewards.

The limited-time festivities come on the heels of the team-based shooter’s second season, which brought a Greek mythology-themed battle pass to the game on December 6. Here’s how you can get in on the action and grab all the new skins, Twitch drops, and other cosmetics on offer.

When is Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland?

Winter Wonderland is live now. The event runs from December 13 to January 4, 2023.

What arcade modes are part of Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland?

There are four arcade modes available in Winter Wonderland, including Freeze Thaw elimination, Yeti Hunter, Snowball Deathmatch, and Mei’s Snowball Offensive. These should all be familiar to anyone who’s taken part in winter events on the original Overwatch, and should be a blast for players who just joined for the sequel.

Mei fires snowballs that can instantly knock players out in the Snowball Offensive mode (Activision Blizzard)

Mei’s Snowball Offensive sees Mei swapping frost and icicles for snowballs that instantly knock out her opponents as part of 6v6 Elimination or eight-player FFA Deathmatch game modes.

Mei is back for Yeti Hunt, where she is the only available character in a mode that involves five players trying to catch a meat-munching yeti. Just don’t let him eat too much or he’ll go on a food-induced rampage and wipe out your entire team.

Finally, Freezethaw Elimination is a 4v4 freeze tag mode where players must chill the enemy team while thawing their own frozen squad mates.

What cosmetics are included in Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland?

You can grab the Festive D.Va Victory Pose by watching Overwatch 2 streamers on Twitch (Activision Blizzard)

By completing challenges in the above arcade modes, players can earn a bunch of cosmetics, including festive-themed weapon charms and sprays, the Epic-tier Ice Queen skin for Brigitte, and plenty of XP.

There are nine challenges in total:

  • Snowstorm: Win a game in Snowball Deathmatch - 1500 XP
  • Caught a Cold - Catch six snowballs in Snowball Deathmatch - Junker Queen Ornament Spray and 1500 XP
  • Time for Cocoa: Win a game in Mei’s Snowball Offensive - 1500 XP
  • Block of Ice: Block eight snowballs with Cryo-Freeze or Ice Wall in Snowball Deathmatch or Mei’s Snowball Offensive - Sojourn Ornament Spray and 1500 XP
  • Warmhearted: Thaw 15 Allies in Freezethaw Elimination - Kiriko Ornament Spray and 1500 XP
  • Monster Hunter: Win a game in Yeti Hunter as Mei - 1500 XP
  • Abominable: Win a game in Yeti Hunter as Yeti - Ramattra Ornament Spray and 1500 XP
  • Unthawed: Win a game of Freezethaw Elimination - 1500 XP
  • Season’s Greetings: Complete six Winter Wonderland Challenges - Ice Queen Brigitte Skin and Snowman Head Weapon Charm

Simply logging on to Overwatch 2 between December 20 and January 4 will also earn you a wreath weapon charm and the 2023 Celebration Hat player icon.

How to claim the Sleighing D.Va Legendary Skin

You’ll need to tune into Twitch to grab the Sleighing Legendary D.Va Skin (Activision Blizzard)

Of course, there’s more to Winter Wonderland than just the in-game action. You can also earn cosmetics by watching Twitch - specifically drops-enabled channels under the Overwatch 2 category on the streaming platform.

Six hours of viewing time on supported Twitch channels will net you the Sleighing D.Va Legendary Skin, and two hours will nab you the Festive D.Va Victory Pose.

Remember, you’ll need to link your battle.net and Twitch accounts in order to receive the drops.

What are the Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland skins?

As with past events, a bunch of new skins have appeared in the Hero Gallery as part of the Winter Wonderland update. They should all be purchasable in the near future, though not all of them match the current festive theme.

The skins include Medusa Widowmaker, Aztec Sombra, Hu Ton Mao Mei, Gingerbread Bastion, Cyclops Roadhog, Minotaur Reinhardt, and Biohazard Ramattra, among others.

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