This "Overwatch 2" Charm Costs Less In Real Life Than It Does In-Game
The hits just keep coming. Amidst the various issues Blizzard has been having with "Overwatch 2" since its release, it looks like we can add "questionable in-game purchase prices" to the list.
Reddit user hi_im_redbeard has pointed outthat one of the weapon charms — cosmetic items you can attach to a playable character's weapon for a bit of added personalization — will actually cost you more money as an in-game purchase than a real-world one (via Reddit). As in, you can buy a real, physical charm (a keychain, really) of the exact same design, directly from Blizzard, for less money.
Granted this is going by base cost and doesn't factor in potential shipping and taxes, but many "Overwatch 2" players are understandably bothered by this information. This is understandable considering the less expensive item is a physical object that costs money and resources to make and ship, while the in-game item is intangible code.
About that charm
So this Pachimari 3D keychain is an official product sold by Blizzard. The keychain costs $5.00, while the in-game charm costs 700 Overwatch Coins (the equivalent of $7.00). This doesn't factor in the cost of tax and shipping on the keychain, but spending $2.00 more on digital cosmetics versus something you could physically own and attach to your own bag or keyring is ... odd.
Like the keychain, Overwatch coins have to be purchased in preset amounts (via Battle.net) of $5, $10, $15, $20, or $100. So if you do want to buy the Pachimari in-game charm, and you don't already have a coin balance, you'll have to shell out a minimum of $10. Then you'll be left with 300 coins to either let sit on your account balance or try and find something else to spend it on.
Some "Overwatch 2" players are also concerned that this revelation could lead to Blizzard adjusting their prices, but not in the way you might think. Reddit user sudden-SOUND points out that the 10.5-inch Tracer statue jumped from $150 (via GameSkinny), and is now sitting at $190. So the concern is that the price of the keychain will go up, not that the in-game charm price will go down.