Overwatch x NieR: Automata Collab Skins Teased Ahead of Official Reveal

Overwatch's partnership with NieR: Automata was accidentally disclosed early by Blizzard. Here's a brief preview of the included skins and the community's response.

NieR: Automata Skins 2B, 9S, & More Coming to Overwatch

An Accidental Reveal

The Overwatch x NieR: Automata collaboration event was accidentally disclosed by Blizzard Entertainment via a now-removed YouTube Short posted over the weekend. Players, particularly the popular fan page Overwatch Cavalry, managed to capture a screenshot of the collaboration before the video was taken down.

The captured image shows five major skins that players will be able to buy in the hero shooter once the collaboration, titled "Project YoRHa," launches. It includes Kiriko, Mercy, and several newer Overwatch heroes, including Vendetta, who is redesigned with the signature black-and-white style associated with NieR: Automata creator Yoko Taro. While fans of NieR: Automata will instantly recognize these characters, the following list explains which NieR characters each Overwatch hero is based on.

⚫︎ Kiriko as 2B, the well-known protagonist of NieR: Automata
⚫︎ Mercy as The Commander, leader of the YoRHa Elite Squadron of Combat Androids
⚫︎ Vendetta as A2, a significant character in NieR: Automata
⚫︎ Lifeweaver as Adam, a secondary antagonist in NieR: Automata
⚫︎ Wuyang as 9S, a protagonist of NieR: Automata and partner to 2B

It is still unclear how much these skins will cost, but based on Overwatch's previous pricing, individual skins are likely to be priced at around 2,600 Overwatch Gold Coins, or approximately $25 to $30. Full skin bundles usually range from $50 to $60, depending on the rarity of the included skins.

The reaction to the accidental disclosure was varied. While the official Overwatch Cavalry tweet received nearly 11 million views on X (formerly Twitter), some players voiced frustration over Blizzard Entertainment once again offering major crossover skins to Kiriko and Mercy, who also had prominent skins during the recent Sanrio collaboration that launched with Overwatch's Season 1 rebrand. It is well known within the community that both characters are favorites among some developers, leading to them receiving more skins than most Overwatch heroes. Players were hoping for more skins from less popular characters like Lucio or even Zarya, who has not had a legendary skin in nearly ten years.

Despite some discussion about the character choices in the crossover, the collaboration was generally well received by fans, with several comments praising Blizzard, saying, "Blizzard is doing great lately." Even the official The Game Awards account on X shared Overwatch Cavalry's post, further boosting its credibility.

This is not the first time 2B has appeared in other franchises. Yoko Taro has often included the series' main character in other games, such as Rainbow Six: Siege, Ubisoft's first-person tactical shooter, and fighting games like Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising and Soulcalibur VI. More recently, Stellar Blade also partnered with NieR: Automata, adding 2B's outfit to Eve's range of costumes.

According to the now-deleted YouTube Short, the Overwatch x NieR: Automata collaboration is expected to release on March 10, 2026. An official announcement should be coming soon.

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