Guides

Fastest Ways to Earn Loot Boxes in Overwatch

Unlock the game's cosmetics quickly with this guide.

Overwatch’s cosmetic unlocks help keep the game fresh after hours of play. There are always new skins, emotes, and voice lines to unlock, with more being added constantly through the game’s periodic updates. Short of outright buying them with real-world money, here are the quickest ways to obtain loot boxes in Overwatch.


Keep an Eye on Twitch Prime Promotions

Blizzard and Twitch have a well-documented relationship, with the streaming platform being the official place to watch Overwatch League matches. Occasionally, Twitch Prime members will receive offers for in-game rewards such as Golden Loot Boxes, which guarantee at least one legendary cosmetic item. If you’re a Twitch Prime member, be sure to monitor your reward notifications.

Join a Group

Loot boxes are obtained first-and-foremost through leveling up, and players receive a 20% bonus to experience gained while playing in a group. If you don’t know anyone else who plays the game: fear not. Overwatch has a built-in group finder, making it easier than ever to join up with other players. You can even filter the groups by preferred game mode and voice chat, so definitely give this feature a shot if you don’t have a team already. Consider joining a group as soon as you start up the game so you can stack your group and first win bonuses.

Complete Arcade Matches Each Week

Every week, you have the opportunity to earn three loot boxes through winning matches in Arcade. Every three wins nets you a loot box, and it doesn’t matter which mode you play as long as it falls under the Arcade section, so play whatever you feel like at the moment. The rewards reset every Monday at 4PM PST/7PM EST, so get them while you can.

Be Kind, Receive Endorsements

Blizzard recently claimed that since the introduction of their endorsement system, toxicity is down by 40%. While we can neither dispute nor support this claim for sure, one other benefit came from this system, and that’s the loot boxes you’re rewarded each time you go up an endorsement level, starting at level 2. The rewards gained are as follows:

  • Endorsement Level 2 – 1 Loot Box
  • Endorsement Level 3 – 2 Loot Boxes
  • Endorsement Level 4 – 3 Loot Boxes
  • Endorsement Level 5 – 4 Loot Boxes

You’ll receive an event loot box if your endorsement level happens to increase during one of the game’s special events like the Lunar New Year or Summer Games. If your endorsement level decreases over time, you will receive the rewards again when your level goes back up, but don’t be a poor sport to abuse that system. The best way to get loot boxes through this method, obviously, is to practice good sportsmanship and communicate with your team.


While it may be tempting to spend real-world money on Overwatch’s loot boxes, the game gives you ample opportunities to earn them for free. Got a method we missed? Let us know in the comments below, and share your crazy cosmetic drop stories.

Carson Levy is a writer and film freelancer living in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been playing video games since he developed hand-eye coordination. He has a son, Dougie, who is a leopard gecko.

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