Cosmetics for a Crisis
Blizzard Games has once again partnered with Breast Cancer Research Foundation
In 2018, Blizzard Games collaborated with BCRF, releasing a limited-time cosmetic that would become iconic in Overwatch, and an example of compassion and solidarity in the worldwide gaming community.
During its original release, the cosmetic “skin” was made available to players for $15, and all profits were donated to the charity. In total, a whopping $12.7 million was raised in aid of breast cancer. Ultimately this led to “the largest donation by a corporate partner within one year in BCRF’s 25-year history”.
It’s clear that this was an incredible moment in gaming history; alongside the Pink Mercy Skin, unique merchandise was available, and content creators held multiple charity dedicated streams for the Overwatch community.
“The original two-week campaign became the biggest single donation to BCRF - and still holds that record to this day!”
-Blizzard Entertainment Blog, June 13
Since its original appearance, players have been asking Blizzard to re-release the - now extremely rare - cosmetic. For six years, the game developers have been avoiding the question of its return.
For those that have no idea what a “skin” actually is, it is simply a cosmetic that a player can purchase for a particular game character, weapon or item. Skins offer no competitive advantage, and exist for their unique visual effects.
However, in October 2022, the new version of Overwatch was released as free-to-play (Overwatch 2), rather than the price of $40 for the original game. This resulted in a tidal wave of new players. Having learned of the cosmetic and its cause, the demand has since grown phenomenally.
On June 13 2024 Blizzard finally announced that they will once again be partnering with BCRF Cure to re-release the cosmetic for its original price…
News of its reappearance had sent fans into a whirlwind of anticipation and excitement, with many already declaring their intentions of purchasing Pink Mercy loudly and proudly.
Alongside the staple skin, Overwatch has decided to release another version for the increased price of $19. Though this bundle includes other cosmetics and in-game offers alongside it, all proceeds are still dedicated to the charity.
Whether you like the colour pink or not, this is a wonderful opportunity to support a great cause, and players are certain that they will overtake the original amount raised in 2018.
Blizzard Games leads as an example to all major game developers, including Riot Games (creator of Valorant and League of Legends) and Epic Games (creator of Fortnite).
However, if you are not a gamer, you can also support BCRF on their website here: https://www.bcrf.org/
After all… “Real heroes wear pink”
Please note this is not a sponsored post.