Overwatch Anniversary Event Leak Reveals Start Date and New Skin

The start date of Overwatch's next Anniversary Event has leaked alongside a first look at a new pirate-themed skin for Junkrat.

Leaked through the game's Brazilian Twitter account, the video that's shown above appears to be a teaser trailer for the upcoming Anniversary Event that looks to be taking place on May 22. The video was deleted from the Twitter account not long after being shared, but that wasn't before it was captured and shared online within communities such as the game's subreddit.

Along with the May 22 start date for the Overwatch event, the teaser also shows Junkrat and Roadhog dancing around in the heroes' various skins. One of them, however, is a cosmetic that hasn't yet been seen before. Just after Junkrat is seen in his Mad Scientist skin, he switches to the never before seen pirate skin. With a new hairdo, an eyepatch, two swords on his back, his peg leg replaced by a hook, and a skeleton head with a glowing just above the peg leg, the skin turns Junkrat into Overwatch's very own version of Captain Jack Sparrow. It's hard to make out what his tire on his back is, but it looks as though it may be a ship's wheel that rests on top of the pirate swords.

The teaser also says that items and brawls from past seasons will be returning as well, though it doesn't give any indication of how these throwback features will work. It can't be long until the full reveal of the event shares more information though since the event is scheduled to start in just over a week.

If last year's anniversary event was any indication of how 2018's event will go, there will be much more than just Junkrat's new skin included once this whole affair starts up again. Through last year's anniversary, maps, skins, and much more were added, all of which are summarized in the game's announcement from last year for the one-year anniversary.

"We're adding three new Arena maps to the Arcade, and unleashing more than 100 Anniversary rewards, including our largest-ever release of new Legendary skins!" last year's announcement said. "You'll earn Anniversary Loot Boxes as you play, plus pick up a free box when you log in between May 23 and June 12, 2017. Anniversary Loot Boxes are also available for purchase—but they'll be locked away after the event ends."

Players did have some concerns last year about the funds required to obtain the event-exclusive loot that may affect how this year's event works, but that remains to be seen until Blizzard shares the full details.