Overwatch Archive Opportunity Returns with New Skins

Overwatch’s Archives event has returned and it gives players the chance to earn new skins, complete weekly challenges, and more from now until April 27th. Archives is an annual event that brings collaborative PvE campaign-like missions into the hero shooter and this year is no different. This brings the Overwatch: Uprising, Overwatch: Retribution and Overwatch: Storm Rising missions back in rotation, each completing with a set of challenges that you must complete while playing.

As they do so, players will have the chance to complete new weekly challenges and unlock five new legendary skins and three new Epic skins.

“Heroes never die,” reads a press release on this year’s Archive event. Experience Overwatch’s transient past at this year’s archive event, with a new weekly challenge reward system and new archive missions – now live on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Don’t forget to sign up from April 6 to April 27 at include and add new cosmetics to your collection. “

Did you play Overwatch?

YESNO

The three Epic skins that are new to this year’s Archive event can be earned by completing weekly challenges launched each week of the event. The first week is now live and lasts until April 13th. You earn stars for simply playing the PvE missions in the Archive event, and after earning 30 stars, you earn the Epic “Corridor” Lucio skin. Earn 30 stars between April 13 and April 20 to earn the Epic “Subaquatic” Zenyatta skins and lastly, earn 20 stars between April 20 and April 27 to earn the Epic “Camouflage” Mercy skin.

Here is a complete overview of what you can expect during the Archive event:

• New cosmetics: Legendary “Bushi” Genji skin, Legendary “Golgotha” Tracer skin, Legendary “Mousquetaire” Widow maker skin, Legendary “Polyanitsa” Zarya skin, Legendary “1776” Soldier: 76 skin, Epic “Camouflage” Mercy skin, Epic “Corredor” Lucio skin, and the Epic “Subaquatic” Zenyatta skin.
• New player icons
• New reward system: Instead of winning nine games, you now earn stars while playing, although you do not have to complete a mission to earn stars. The harder the mission, the more stars you earn. You receive cosmetic rewards every week after earning 10 stars, 20 stars and 30 stars.
• Weekly challenges: Each week of the event presents new challenges based on earning stars. Each PvE mission contains mods like Molten Cores, causing all enemies to drop lava to the death. Players earn double credit if they played the Rebellion missions during Week 1, double credit for the Retribution missions during Week 2 and double credit for the Storm Rising missions during Week 3.

Overwatch’s 2021 archive event is already available on all platforms and runs until April 27th.

If you’ve never been to the Archive event before, watch this 13 minute video of one of the PvE missions. Check out IGN’s updated 2020 Overwatch review and then read this story about 55 new Overwatch 2 details recently unveiled at BlizzCon 2021.

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide for IGN. You can follow him Twitter @LeBlancWes.