As the holiday season approaches, gift shopping surges. If you have an Overwatch fan on your list, you’re in luck: thanks to the franchise’s popularity, its merchandise scene has exploded over the last several years. The series’ most recent title, Overwatch 2, was just released in early October, and it’s renewed player interest in the franchise and its merchandise yet.
Overwatch has a ton of playable characters spread across three different roles. In the game’s community, there are “mains” who devote more of their playtime to a specific hero whose playstyle they resonate with the most. Someone who plays a lot of Mercy, for example, would be a Mercy main. Finding out who your giftee mains is a good first step to narrow down the options to a specific character. People with specific mains often appreciate gifts associated with those characters.
Overwatch 2 is generally marketed toward an older audience. Because of that, you won’t find many plush toys here. Instead, you’re more likely to find accessories, apparel, and collectible items.
Here are some gift ideas for Overwatch 2 fans this holiday season.
Professional Coaching Sessions
Price: $5 – $100
Where to buy: GamerSensei
What cooler gift to get an Overwatch fan than personal one-on-one coaching sessions with a professional Overwatch coach? GamerSensei has hundreds of coaches to choose from for all major game titles.
Prints and signed art
The Blizzard Gear store has a variety of comic scenes, cinematic stills, and pieces of art from the Overwatch universe available for purchase. Most pieces come with their own frame, but if you really want to splash out, you can also get some pieces on canvas.
If you’re not interested in any of the official pieces, resell sites like Ebay and Mercari carry a significant amount of old BlizzCon posters, limited-edition art pieces, and signed art. You might pay a little bit more or have to win an auction, but if your giftee is a big fan of a particular hero, getting them a signed poster or photo might make their whole year.
Funko POP figures
Funko POP figures are small, cute figures that represent a variety of characters in and around pop culture. Blizzard characters have been released as POPs for several years. At this point, there are POP figures for almost all of the game’s heroes. Some characters even have multiple versions available. If you know your giftee’s main or favorite character, it’s easy to snag the one they like. To get a big wow reaction, look for a POP that was exclusive to BlizzCon, Blizzard’s yearly convention.
Travel posters
If you like the idea of art but don’t want to blow hundreds of dollars on official pieces, look no further than these colorful travel ad-style posters of maps from StephologyShop. Not all of Overwatch 2’s maps are available yet, but there is a poster for every one of the first game’s maps. (Just make sure you ask your giftee for their favorite map first.) A Dot Esports staff member owns several of these posters, and they are some of her favorite pieces of art.
The best part about purchasing one of these posters is that you’re supporting a small business while you do it. If you aren’t keen on the idea of giving Blizzard your money, shopping small on places like Etsy and Shopify is a great way to help artists and creators while still getting awesome Overwatch art.
Apparel
Hoodies and shirts make up the majority of Overwatch’s merchandise. Hoodies can be found at either J!NX, a licensed retailer, or from the Blizzard Gear shop. Designs vary between the two websites, so make sure you check both before you make a purchase. Much of J!NX’s merchandise is from the first Overwatch and is heavily discounted as a result, so you might be able to find a deal.
If your giftee prefers a more subtle approach to their apparel, there are plenty of more low-key shirts and jackets that don’t have brightly-colored characters all over them. Blizzard is always adding more shirts, jackets, and more to the Gear shop, so be sure to check back frequently for seasonal apparel and items centered around new characters.
The Cinematic Art of Overwatch, Vol. 1
There’s no denying that what made many players take note of Overwatch was its cinematics. These high-quality animated shorts look like they’re ripped right out of a movie, which makes sense considering the first Overwatch was originally rumored to be a feature film rather than a game.
The Cinematic Art of Overwatch, Vol. 1 takes an extended behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the game’s most famous shorts, from “Recall” to “The Last Bastion.” Fans of the game’s cinematics will find a lot to like in the oversized book’s developer interviews, progress shots, and commentary. There’s also a volume two that examines some of the game’s more recent shorts. If you’re looking for something that focuses more on still art, check out The Art of Overwatch, Vol. 2.
Blizzard balance cards
If your giftee isn’t into merchandise but loves to deck out their favorite heroes in virtual cosmetics, a Blizzard balance card might be a great choice. These cards act as virtual currency when redeemed, allowing players to purchase digital items in and across Overwatch 2 and other Blizzard titles like World of Warcraft. They come in $20, $50, and $100 increments and make great stocking stuffers if you’re not totally sure what the Overwatch fan on your list wants.
Statues and figurines
Blizzard makes official statues of a handful of popular characters. To date, there have been statues for Widowmaker, D.Va, Hanzo, Genji, Genji’s sword, Tracer, Reaper, and Doomfist. While the available characters are popular, knowing your fan will appreciate one of the options is advised before buying due to the cost. This one featuring Tracer is one of the most iconic.
If these statues are a little beyond your budget, there are also action figures that are less expensive. They aren’t available in the Blizzard Gear store, but they can be found in places like Walmart. If you want to go even cuter, a couple of the game’s heroes are available as Nendoroids. Nendoroids are cartoon-like figures with changeable face plates and accessories. They’re not as poseable as action figures, but they’re smaller and more suited to a work desk than some of the larger figures.
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Published: Nov 17, 2022 04:55 pm