5 Best Things About Overwatch's Winter Wonderland Event

Overwatch's Winter Wonderland event has officially kicked off, and it has more than delivered on the promise of spectacle, and Blizzard isn't taking the word "event" lightly either.

They've truly captured the spirit of the season, offering myriad ways to enjoy the season while playing. Here are the best features offered in Overwatch's Winter Wonderland.

5. Symmetra Changes

This came as a bit of a surprise to most people, as Symmetra's rework was in the PTR for longer than expected. Last we heard was that Symmetra's rework would stay in the PTR for "a bit" longer, and, despite repeated attempts by those in the forum and on social media to get someone to confirm the release date, Blizzard was tight-lipped.

But here we are in the Winter Wonderland with the all new Symmetra. Some people are already finding game-breaking uses for her, so I'm sure we're in for a whirlwind of short patches to fix her up. So she's here … for now.

4. Second Legendary Emote

Before, there was exactly one Legendary Emote in Overwatch – it was D.Va's "Game On" where she sits down, plays video games in her Mech, eats Doritos and drinks Mountain Dew. It goes on for a long time.

But now, Zarya has become the second hero to also have a Legendary emote (both cost 3000 in-game credits), and it's pretty adorable. She will open up one of three presents: a Robot (which she apparently doesn't like and destroys immediately), a Teddy Bear (which she apparently loves but accidentally destroys immediately) and an almost-endless train of boxes within boxes until she gives up.

Don't know who gave her that present, but my money is on Scrooge. Speaking of which …

3. Skins

What is not to love? You got Scrooge, (McCree), Santa (Torbjorn), Miss Claus (Mei), their elves (Tracer and Lucio), Rudolph (Roadhog), the Nutcracker (Zenyatta), and a host of other ice- or winter-themed skins, only one or two of which are disappointing.

So much for the early-morning naysayers who were ready to write off all the skins before they even came out, having only seen a blurry screenshot of the Santa-suit-themed skins. These are a revelation that already have people sinking loads of money into Loot Boxes.

2. New Bonus Loot Boxes

Speaking of which, you now have two more opportunities to get one-time loot boxes in the Arcade. Two new modes were added – Mei's Snowball Offensive and 6v6 Winter Mystery (which is just 6v6 Mystery Heroes, but set on two Winter-Themed maps).

But, just like when the Arcade first launched, you get a bonus loot box for your first win in each of those game modes. So, without too much effort, you can find yourself with six bonus loot boxes by the end of the day, and that doesn't include the amount you'll earn from leveling up.

But good luck winning on Mei's Snowball Offensive …

1. "Stay As Team" Button

This is another feature that was stuck in the PTR along with the new-and-improved Symmetra, but oh boy are we glad its here. More than any of the wonderful skins or game modes, the "Stay as Team" button is the best thing to hit Overwatch since its release.

This was at the top of any solo queuer's wish list, and Santa Torbjorn provided, allowing everyone to stay as one big happy family if they should choose. That way, you maybe don't have to go from one good team to a really bad team, and it also doesn't force you to stay with the bad team. If even one person rejects the offer to stay as a team, the team is not formed.

Not that I would recommend a team with Lucio, Tracer, Torbjorn and Mei … maybe decline that one.

Symmetra's Rework

Photon Barrier

This moving shield is fantastic for pushing down a line. It's like having your very own ghost Reinhardt pushing the line for you. This wasn't the most effective for my playthroughs, but that's likely because we didn't have the team coordination to pull it off well.
Shield Generator

The Shield Generator is an interesting beast. On one hand, Jeff Kaplan was right that this made her much more versatile. If there is a situation where you don't necessarily need a teleporter, Symmetra is now not completely useless.
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rnThis gives teammates who come into contact with it a 75 HP shield that will stick on you even after you leave the immediate range.
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rnOn the other hand, if not played correctly, this will be little more than a consolation prize. Many Symmetra's opt to set this up in base, since all an ally has to do to earn a shield is pass by it. However, it appears to have somewhat of a range, and your allies shield will replenish automatically if you set it up near the action.
Sentry Turret

As I suspected, Symmetra's Sentry Turret buff is a game-changer. She can now place all six of her allotted Sentries at one time without the cooldown in between every three.
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rnEven on games I wasn't playing Symmetra (which is good because I am certainly not good with her), her microwaves were everywhere all the time. Usually, besides the initial sentry room, her turrets are only a minor nuisance for the rest of the game. Not so, anymore.
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Hands-On With Symmetra\'s Rework

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