// KOTAKU — GAMING
Overwatch’s Latest China Exclusive Has Fans Ready To Crash Out: ‘I Still Don’t Know How People Defend Blizzard For This’
Overwatch getting China-exclusive skins and crossovers isn’t new thanks to the deal Blizzard struck with NetEase to publish the hero shooter in the territory after a brief separation in 2022, but the longer it’s gone on, the harder it’s gotten to watch just how hard these skins and cosmetics go. The latest line of China-only cosmetics, the Defiled Anthem skins for Shion, Kiriko, D.Mon, Reaper, and Emre, include some of the coolest looks and special effects yet for those heroes, and for now, if you’re playing the game anywhere else, all you can do is look at them like a scorned stepchild.
Overwatch "Defiled Anthem" Trailer | These skins are exclusive to China. byu/Killjoy3879 inOverwatch
The Shion skin is the one that hurts the most, as it’s one of the China-exclusive Evolution-rarity skins, meaning it changes its appearance throughout a match. A Widowmaker skin started this trend earlier this year, then Jetpack Cat got one in August that changed her fur and costume color. Now Shion is getting a shapeshifting, China-exclusive look as well.
It also, like Mythic skins and the new (and expensive) Ultra skins, has special effects when Shion lands a kill, as well as ones that are passively added to her abilities, like making her motorcycle leave a fiery streak behind her as she rides around.
The other heroes may not be getting an Evolution skin, but there are also exclusive highlight intros and emotes that, as far as we know, aren’t coming to other territories. Even if you don’t play these characters, the fact that China keeps getting exclusive content is worth being upset over.
I wouldnt be so mad about China exclusive stuff if it wouldnt constantly be the best skins, emotes and intros in the game
That Shion skin is better than any Mythic or Ultra skin we have… pic.twitter.com/BYCA5xTjjx
her best highlight intro being china exclusive like ok. what ever. i dont even care anymore. pic.twitter.com/15Jmf1EHgw
Like you actually have to be kidding me https://t.co/VFKKxZRyyz pic.twitter.com/NMxESWEF2e
bro what kind of drugs are they giving the designers at netease for them to be mogging the american designers so badly https://t.co/LctyoaoHnC