In a surprising and heartwarming move, Blizzard Entertainment has announced the return of the beloved Pink Mercy skin in Overwatch 2, along with the introduction of a new Rose Gold Mercy Bundle. This decision has not only brought joy to the game’s dedicated fan base but has also inadvertently solved a long-standing issue that has plagued the community for years: the account/skin-trading black market.
The Pink Mercy skin, originally released way back in 2018 as part of a collaboration with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), was a limited-time offering that helped raise an impressive $12.7 million for the charity. However, its limited availability also gave rise to a thriving black market, where accounts with the rare skin were sold for hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars.
The Return of Pink Mercy and the Rise of Rose Gold
Blizzard took to X to announce the return of the Pink Mercy skin and the introduction of the Rose Gold Mercy Bundle, with a charming video featuring Mercy herself:
The announcement was met with an outpouring of support and gratitude from the Overwatch community, with many praising Blizzard for their noble gesture and the unintended consequence of crashing the account trading black market.
Quoting the original post, one X user humorously remarked:
The return of the Pink Mercy skin, now accompanied by the stunning Rose Gold Mercy Bundle, has not only reignited the excitement among players but also further reinforced Blizzard’s commitment to supporting the fight against breast cancer.
Crashing the Black Market and Winning Hearts
The decision to make such a highly sought-after skin more accessible—albeit for a limited time—has had a significant positive impact on the Overwatch 2 community. By offering the Pink Mercy skin and the Rose Gold Mercy Bundle at a reasonable price point, with all proceeds going to charity, Blizzard has effectively weakened the ToS-breaching skin trading black market, which has been a source of frustration and controversy for years.
Players who had previously been tempted to purchase accounts with the rare skin from the black market can now get it directly from Blizzard, knowing that their money is going towards a worthy cause. This move has been widely applauded by the community, with many expressing their gratitude and support for the developers’ actions.
One fan highlighted the positive impact of Blizzard’s decision:
Another user echoed the sentiment, stating:
As fans eagerly await the release of these skins on June 25, it is clear that Blizzard has scored a significant win (or a big “W,” as some call it) in terms of both player satisfaction and charitable giving. Pink Mercy’s comeback and the launch of the Rose Gold Mercy Bundle have not only made the player base happy, but have also dealt a crushing blow to the highly exploitative account trading black market!
Overwatch 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
The Pink Mercy skin and Rose Gold Mercy Bundle will be available for purchase from the in-game shop, or from your preferred game platform store from June 25 to July 8.
