Skins

Skins are cosmetics that modify the appearance of a hero, by changing their outfit, color scheme or weaponry.

Description

Each hero has several skins from each cosmetic rarity, with the Common skin being the default. As a rule of thumb, each cosmetic rarity of skin is as follows:

• Common - The base cosmetic appearance of a hero. Common skins cannot be unlocked, and each hero only has one. They are given to every player as default, for each hero.
• Rare- Rare skins are simple recolorings of the base skin for different heroes. Each hero has four Rare skins, each changing the primary color of the hero's outfit. Rare skins are only obtainable in non-seasonal Loot Boxes and have never been offered beyond this.
• Epic - Epic skins are by number, the most plentiful of the skins (due to the abundance of OWL skins). Epic skins are either advanced recolorings of the base appearance of a hero, or are colorings with very slight three dimensional additions. As a whole, these skins take the silhouette of a hero, and do not alter it drastically. Epic skins are obtainable in Seasonal Loot Boxes also.
• Legendary - Legendary Skins are the skins which alter the hero's outfit drastically, changing their weapon model, colors and outfit. Legendary skins are obtained via various methods, but can commonly be obtained through base and seasonal Loot Boxes.

Epic and Legendary skins may also alter various Voice Lines, both standard ones, and player selected lines.

Skin breakdown

There are 363 skins obtained from loot boxes and 211 skins which cannot be obtained from normal loot boxes. Loot boxes in this case refers to all boxes, seasonal or not.

As such, there are several methods of obtaining skins in Overwatch:

• Loot Boxes: Base Loot Boxes will provide players with any skin which is not locked to a seasonal event.
  • Seasonal Loot Boxes provide players with specific cosmetics for that.
    • Anniversary Loot Boxes allow players to unlock any cosmetic from any event.
• Currency: Currency obtained from Loot Boxes or Role Queue allows players to purchase cosmetics depending on the seasonal event. The same rules for anniversary apply here.
• Overwatch League Tokens allow for the purchase of specific OWL league Epic or Legendary Skins. Players are given 400 Tokens on creation of an account, enough for two epic skins.
  • Players are awarded Away versions of these skins on purchase.
• Skins can be obtained via various events or mini events. Each event requires a set of win challenges to be completed to unlock 3 skins over the course of 3 weeks. Mini events may last longer and provide one skin. This skin can be epic or sometimes legendary.
• Purchasing the Origins Edition of Overwatch provides 5 specific Legendary skins.

• Preordering the game provides the player with Noire (Widowmaker).
• Attending BlizzCon or purchasing a Blizzcon Virtual Ticket provides the player with:
  • BlizzCon 2016: BlizzCon 2016 (Bastion).
  • BlizzCon 2017: BlizzCon 2017 (Winston).
  • BlizzCon 2018: Demon Hunter (Sombra).
    • This skin was also obtainable during Halloween Terror 2019
  • BlizzCon 2019: Illidan (Genji) and Tryrande (Symmetra).
  • BlizzCon 2020: Raynhardt (Reinhardt).
• Some skins are given out without needing pre-requites during different times, such as Kerrigan (Widowmaker)
• Pink (Mercy) was obtained by purchasing the skin as part of a charity drive.

The full list of skins can be found here.

Skin-Specific Quotes

Many Legendary skins unlock voice lines which can be triggered in-game.

• Ana:
  • Captain Amari and Horus skins, she will say "Captain Amari reporting for duty" when switching heroes, instead of her normal quote.
  • Corsair Skin, when saying hello, she'll sometimes say "Ahoy, matey!"

• D. Va:
  • B. Va and Junebug skins, she will say "All systems buzzing!" when under the effects of Mercy's damage boost.
  • Cruiser skin, she will sometimes say "Hey daddy-o" when saying Hello
• Genji:
  • Oni skin, his ultimate call out changes to "Oni No Ken Wo Kurae!" and "The demon becomes me!"
  • Baihu skin, his ultimate call out changes to "Byakko No Ken Wo Kurae!" and "The White Tiger becomes me!"
  • Blackwatch skin, there's a chance he will say "Yesss!" when using swift strike.
  • Sentai skin, there's a chance he will say "Haaachaa!" when using swift strike.
  • Kendoka skin, there's a chance he will say "Arigatō Gozaimashita" when saying Thank you.
• Hanzo:
  • Lone Wolf or Okami skins, his ultimate call outs change to "Ōkami yo waga teki o kurae!" and "The wolf hunts for it's prey!" He will also say "See through the wolf's eyes" when using sonic arrow. If the "I choose you Spirit Dragon" voice line is equipped, he will instead say "I choose you Spirit Wolf."
• Junkrat:
  • Dr. Junkenstein skin, his ultimate call outs change to "Get ready for a shock!" and "Ladies and Gentlemen, my latest creation!" One of his respawn quotes also changes to "He's alive, he's alive!"
  • Bilgerat skin, he will say "Junkrat, ready to set sail!" when spawning in. Also when saying hello, like Ana, he'll say "Ahoy, matey!"
• Lúcio:
  • Slapshot or Breakaway skins, there's a chance that he will say "Come on man, drop the gloves!" which is referring to the sport hockey, on which the skin is based.
  • Jazzy skin, the music is altered for his healing and speed auras. He will also say "This payload is jumping" instead of his normal line.
• McCree:
  • Lifeguard skin, his ultimate call out changes to "It's high tide." Also when using his Flashbang, he'll say "No running!" and "Don't run."
  • Van Helsing skin, his ultimate call out will change to "It's high moon".
• Mei:
  • Mei-rry skin, the quote "You have to let it go!" becomes "You have to let it snow!"
• Mercy:
  • Devil and Imp skins, her friendly ultimate call out changes to "Heroes never die! ...For a price."
  • Witch skin, her friendly ultimate call out changes to "My servants never die!"
  • Sigrún and Valkyrie skins, her friendly ultimate call out changes to "Till Valhalla!"
  • Winged Victory skin, her friendly ultimate call out changes to "Onwards to Victory!"
• Pharah:
  • Raindancer or Thunderbird skins, one of her respawn quotes is "Thunderbird on-line."
• Reaper:
  • While waiting in spawn room El Blanco and Mariachi skins have a small chance to trigger the line "First you listen, then I kill."
• Roadhog:
  • Mako or Sharkbait skins, there's a chance he will say "Anchors away!" when using his hook. He also seems to say "HAHAHA ARG!... matey." in the spawn room at random moments.
  • Butcher skin, there's a chance he will say "Fresh meat" after killing an enemy.
• Soldier 76:
  • Grillmaster skin, his Biotic Field voice lines change to "Get over here and drink up!" and "Anyone in need of some cold refreshment?" If the "Respect your elders" voice line is equipped, he'll instead say "Respect the chef." Similarly the voice line "Smells like victory" is replaced with "Smells like freedom."
  • Strike Commander Morrison skin, at the beginning of the round, there's a chance he'll say "It is my privilege to lead you into battle."
• Torbjörn:
  • Santaclad skin, his ultimate call out changes to "Merry Molten Core!"
  • Barbarossa or Blackbeard skins, there's a chance he'll say "Ahoy matey!" when saying hello.
• Tracer:
  • Jingle skin, there is a chance of her saying "Ho, ho, ho!" or "Dashing though the snow!" while blinking or using her cheer emote. On hero selection, one of her quotes is, "Cheers Loves, the holidays are here!" Her ultimate call out sometimes changes to "Got you something!" or "Got some coal for your stocking!".
  • Punk or Ultraviolet skins, there's a chance she'll say " Heh, wanker." or "Tosser" after securing an elimination.
  • T. Racer skin, there's a chance she'll say "Here comes T. Racer!" when switching from another hero.
• Widowmaker:
  • Comtesse or Huntress skins, her friendly ultimate call out changes to "No one can hide from the huntress."
• Winston:
  • Frogston or Undersea skins, there's a chance he'll say "Excuse me for diving in" or "Splashdown" when using his jump pack and landing.
• Zenyatta:
  • Cultist skin, his ultimate call out changes to “Experience Nothingness" and "Pass into the unknown". The activated voice line "The iris embraces you" is changed to "The iris consumes you," and "Peace and blessings be upon you all" becomes "Curses and madness be upon you all."
  • Fastball skin, casting a Discord orb will sometimes result in saying "And the pitch!", "Here's a little chin music.", and "Right down the middle". A final blow on an enemy can result in the phrase "It goes down swinging", and switching to Zenyatta wearing this skin will be announced with "Zenyatta on the mound."
  • Nutcracker Skin, his ultimate call out changes to "Experience Festivity"

Trivia

• 192 skins are no longer available for purchase, because Florida Mayhem, Los Angeles Valiant and San Francisco Shock changed their team colors.
  • Furthermore, the Alien Skin for Zarya is also no longer available for purchase due to controversy with the MVP it is associated with. The skin also freely refundable and does not appear anywhere within the cosmetic filters.