While the esports league based around the game is struggling more and more each week, the actual game of Overwatch is going strong. As developer Blizzard keeps barreling towards the eventual Overwatch 2, the current version of the popular hero shooter is still getting plenty of content and events. The next big to-do on the calendar is the 2020 Anniversary event, which we now know is coming next week on May 19 thanks to patch note leaks and social media oopsies from Blizzard itself. This means fancy, new skins, and patch notes changes, but more importantly: Sound the alarms because Blizzard put Ashe and her robo-manservant BOB in a Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf costumes respectively. What other details are there? Does anything else matter besides the Ashe skin? Let’s take a look.
The leak came from two angles, with the first being a Reddit post on /r Overwatch that caught the retail patch notes hitting the live servers by accident. This leak was backed up by reliable Overwatch leak source @OverwatchNaeri on Twitter who caught a screenshot of the patch notes as confirmation.
If that wasn’t confirmation enough, an intrepid Reddit user grabbed a screenshot of the social media post planned for the 2020 Anniversary event, featuring a preview of what appeared to be a new Roadhog skin. However, this forced Blizzard’s hand and they’ve gone ahead and posted the leaked material themselves. Sneaky jerks. (Though it’s not entirely clear if this was just when they intended to reveal the upcoming event.)
Get ready to go hog wild.
Earn new rewards and relive your favorite seasonal brawls in the Overwatch Anniversary event. The party starts on May 19. pic.twitter.com/baX9j10h8A
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) May 14, 2020
After all, what’s the point in pretending this didn’t happen? Major leaks and Overwatch, name a more epic duo. This also got the developer to post images of Little Red Riding Hood Ashe and Big Bad Wolf BOB.
B.O.B… What big teeth you have!
Grab your riding hood and suit up as Little Red Ashe (Legendary)!
Overwatch Anniversary begins May 19. pic.twitter.com/zf2MEk5ECM
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) May 14, 2020
There are still more surprises in store but between the Ashe skin and the text preview of other skins such as “Dragoon Mercy,” I think this year’s anniversary event is going to be a great one. Look for it on May 19 when all of this goes live (now officially the release date according to the Overwatch Twitter.)
