Overwatch 2 Season 17 battle pass: What’s included and is it worth it?

Overwatch 2’s 17th season–Powered Up–has not long dropped, and it features an all-new battle pass with a range of cosmetic items for players to enjoy. Some of these items are available for free as players level up, but some are only available with the premium battle pass, which costs 1,000 Overwatch coins. 

We’re going to be looking at the OW season 17 battle pass in more detail to see exactly what players can get for free and what is included in the premium version. We will also consider whether the contents of the battle pass are worth the price of admission. 

The latest Overwatch 2 battle pass is based on the two themes of season 17. These two themes are 8-bit retro gaming and school/academia. These are two contrasting aesthetics, but they work well together. 

The video game themes balance the school themes nicely, thanks to the connection between students, be they high school or college students, and gaming/video game arcades. 

There are a variety of Overwatch cosmetics included in the season 17 battle pass, including skins, voice lines, sprays, and weapon charms, to name a few. 

Let’s take a closer look at everything that is included in the battle pass, including both the free and premium items. 

Whether the Overwatch 2 battle pass is worth the cost is a matter of personal preference, as it all depends on whether each player is interested in the cosmetics and items that are on offer. All in all, though, there is a lot to enjoy about this battle pass. 

The retro video game theme is the strongest element here, with the academy theme being pushed to the background a little bit. This isn’t too surprising, as most of the academy-themed cosmetic content can only be purchased in separate bundles, while the 8-bit cosmetics are all within the battle pass. 

The 8-bit themed OW cosmetics are pretty great too. It is genuinely surprising to see all of the 8-bit-themed skins available in the battle pass, even if some can only be obtained with the premium version. The Reinhardt, Genji, and Sombra skins are the most impressive, but even the Orisa and Zenyatta skins are great. Although these two skins are recolours of their default skins, they have additional animations and effects, which is a nice touch. 

The two academy Overwatch skins included are fun and well-made as well. It’s nice to see Junkrat being included, as he has been neglected more often than not as of late. Cassidy’s skin is good, too, but Junkrat’s Professor Fawkes is the more impressive of the two school-themed battle pass skins. 

Ana’s Sakura skin is a bit of a random inclusion, as it doesn’t fit in with either of the two themes. However, it feels impossible to dislike the prettiness of the pink recolour that Ana’s default Overwatch 2 skin gets with Sakura. It might have been better suited for its bundle due to the mismatch between the skin and the other themes, but it’s still an enjoyable skin in its own right. 

Overall, the season 17 battle pass is surprisingly enjoyable and offers a lot of content, even with the free version. Those who were looking forward to the academia themes within the battle pass might be a little disappointed, as it only includes basic cosmetics and two skins centred around it. The majority of the school content has to be bought separately, and it’s pretty pricey. 

If you are interested in the retro gaming theme of Overwatch 2 season 17, and you have a spare 1,000 Overwatch coins in your account (or if you are willing to pay $10), then this battle pass won’t let you down. That being said, the 8-bit video game themes were marketed the most with the new season. Even the title of the new season (Powered Up!) is more focused on those arcade game elements, so it isn’t a surprise that this theme gets the most love within the battle pass.