When does Overwatch’s 2020 Winter Wonderland event begin?

While the entirety of 2020 may have felt like a dumpster fire, some holiday cheer is on the horizon.

Overwatch’s annual Winter Wonderland event always brings fresh skins, fun arcade modes, and winter-themed maps to the game. This year, we could all use a little stress relief by way of Mei’s Snowball Offensive, so fans are likely wondering when the event will arrive. 

The good news is that the 2020 Winter Wonderland event is likely right around the corner. Winter Wonderland is a nod to all of the various religious holidays around the end of December and start of January, but the actual event starts earlier than those holidays every single year. 

In 2017, the Winter Wonderland event started on Dec. 12 and brought us classic skins like Casual Hanzo. The event started a day earlier in 2018 on Dec. 11. Last year, the Winter Wonderland event started on Dec. 10 and included weekly challenges, which have become an expected part of annual events. 

This means fans can expect the 2020 Winter Wonderland event to begin on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Even though COVID-19 has disrupted some of the schedules of Overwatch’s developers, events have still launched on Tuesdays this year. Dec. 10 is also a possibility if a patch is planned for a Thursday.  

Every year, the Winter Wonderland event includes the return of two classic arcade modes in Mei’s Snowball Offensive and Yeti Hunter. Maps like King’s Row and Blizzard World also get a festive makeover. Weekly challenges are pretty much guaranteed for 2020’s Winter Wonderland event, but the skins and bonuses within those challenges are yet to be revealed. 

Update Dec. 10 2:30pm CT: The Overwatch Winter Wonderland event wasn’t included with the Dec. 10 live patch as anticipated. Community manager John Nash acknowledged the delay and said the event is “right around the corner.” This means fans should be looking at a Dec. 15 or Dec. 17 start date.