Overwatch 2 players report missing skins as launch struggles continue

Overwatch 2 Zarya on hero gallery screen
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

As Overwatch 2 servers struggle to get on top of the day-one rush, many players have found that they're missing skins and other cosmetics that they owned in the original game. Issues with Overwatch 2 cross progression and account merging, among other things, seem to be preventing a smooth transition.  

The same story is being shared across Reddit and Twitter: the lucky folks who've somehow made it through the server errors and wildly fluctuating queue times have logged into what look like fresh accounts, with many or all of their hard-earned (or purchased) skins sorely absent. 

This issue seems to be platform-agnostic, with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players all logging in ready to go but with nothing to wear. It's not just skins, either; folks have reported missing credits, effects, and other odds and ends that didn't make the jump to Overwatch 2

As is often the case with game launches like this, there doesn't seem to be a clear fix apart from good old-fashioned patience. The good news is Blizzard is at least aware of this problem and working on a solution. Per the updated list of known issues, "some cosmetics, items, and currency that players own are not showing up in their collections." 

In other words, no, you haven't lost your original cosmetics or had your account wiped. Collection data is seemingly just getting lost in the choppy waters of launch day. With a little luck (and, no doubt, a lot of frantic troubleshooting in an office somewhere), individual collections will be restored soon and missing skins will correctly load once the game's servers become more stable – hopefully without any additional input from players, but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, you'll just have to suffer the indignity of using *gulp* default skins. 

Our Overwatch 2 review is live with an early verdict: the hero shooter sequel is shiny and new, but some reductive gameplay changes make us wonder who it's for. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.