Snow is falling, fireplaces are burning, and the smell of gingerbread is wafting through the air. Even in the distant future Overwatch 2holiday cheer of course. And what better way to get into the festive spirit than by taking part in the annual mini-game?

related
Overwatch 2: How to unlock the competition
If you want to start playing ranked games in Overwatch 2, you need to meet the minimum requirements. See what you need to do in this guide.
Of course, we're talking about Overwatch 2's annual Winter Wonderland event, which sees the return of fan-favorite game modes and plenty of gifts for new and seasoned players alike. So put on your snow boots, roll around in a snowball, and try not to freeze in there – there's a lot of fun to be had.
What is Winter Wonderland?
Every year in December, Overwatch brings back a few seasonal game modes in the Arcade, along with general challenges. This year's Winter Wonderland event runs from December 10 to January 6, so you'll have plenty of time to get into the spirit of the season. Here is a list of what to expect this year:
Mei's Snowball Offensive/Snowball Deathmatch |
A thrilling snowball fight with amazing tactics where everyone plays as Mei, with customizable abilities. Instead of his usual cold shot and ice shot, you get a snowball that instantly hits any enemy it hits. After you shoot once, you need to hit one of the snowballs scattered across the map. Your Ultimate, instead of freezing enemies in large areas, gives you infinite snow for a few seconds. Snowball Offensive is a team game, while Snowball Deathmatch is a free-for-all. |
---|---|
Yeti Hunt |
An asymmetrical game of cat and mouse throughout Shambali Monastery. Five Meis hunted a very tough Yeti-Winston, Try to trap and defeat him before he finds the pieces of meat scattered across the map. If the Yeti eats four meats, it enters a more powerful version of Primal Rage that can easily knock out the hunter. In this mode, Mei's ultimate is replaced by a giant iron trap, similar to Junkrat's ability of the same name. |
Canceling Freezethaw |
Want something more casual? This mode is similar to a normal 5v5 elimination, but with the winter disturbance: players who are “taken out” are frozen solid rather than killed and may be destroyed by their allies, bringing them back into the game. |
Although it is not technically part of Winter Wonderland, 6v6 is back as a limited time as well, the duration of Winter Wonderland is the same.
Winter Wonderland Rewards
If the opportunity to play a limited time game is not enough for the event, there are other things at stake – Holiday gifts in the form of Skins and other cosmetics! Completing the Winter Wonderland event challenge will earn you the following items:
Reward |
Challenge |
---|---|
Merry Marionette Echo Skin |
Three games. |
Cozy Cassidy Skin + Campfire Highlight Intro |
Play six games. |
Standard Hanzo Skin + Thief's Name Card now |
Eight games. |
Winter Chic Widowmaker Skin + Campfire Highlight Intro |
Nine games. |
Cheer Party Name Cards |
Game 16. |
Snowfriend business card |
Game 24. |
Festive Pine Name Card |
Game 32. |
Decorative disaster sprinklers |
Three games of Freezethaw Elimination. |
Juno Spray Decoration |
Three games of Yeti Hunt. |
Venture Spray Decorations |
Play three games of Mei's Snowball Offensive or Snowball Deathmatch. |
The important thing to note is that a win counts as two games played for all of these Challenges – that means you can unlock all rewards with at least 16 games. So get out there and start building those wins!
Entering at any time during the event will also get you the Snowflake Icon, 2025 Party Hat Icon, and Darumari Trinket are free.

Next
Overwatch 2: Venture Hero Guide
Want to learn how to play Venture in Overwatch 2? Here is the bottom.