Is Mercy, the flying pocket-healing hero of Overwatch 2, actually the most oppressed character in the game? Are her fans, who get a never-ending stream of new cosmetics every season, the ones who are truly suffering the most under the hero shooter’s free-to-play regime? Are they cursed to forever have gradually more expensive bundles to purchase as their favorite staff-wielding angel keeps getting new, gorgeous skins that cost as much as entire video games? Well, that’s what some fans are arguing as the “Mercy Tax” is on full display in Overwatch 2’s latest update.
Mercy, Lifeweaver, Ashe, and Wrecking Ball all received new pink-and-white skins called “Sakura.” All of these are packaged together in a “Mega Bundle” that costs 45000 in-game currency ($45), which is a lot of cash, and comes with a bunch of cosmetics for each hero. Mercy and Lifeweaver, meanwhile, have separate bundles that cost 3300 coins and 2800 coins, respectively. The Mercy bundle specifically is contentious for a few reasons. Some of them are justified, others feel colored by the resentment people feel toward characters like Mercy, Kiriko, and Juno, who have received a lot more skins over the years, leading players to accuse Blizzard of playing favorites. Context clues tell us Mercy and Kiriko probably sell more skins than most heroes, but if you’re a Venture or a Baptiste main, you’re often left with a drought of new cosmetics between multiple seasons, so Mercy getting any extravagant cosmetics is met with some eye-rolling as a rule. But the way her bundles keep getting more expensive has got Overwatch fans debating if this is Blizzard testing just how high they can price these packages before fans stop buying them, and if Mercy mains would be willing to hold off on paying for the Sakura bundle to make a point.
As Mercy’s numerous skins seem to continue selling like hotcakes even as they become more expensive, a lot of people accuse her players of not being able to control themselves, potentially setting a precedent for all cosmetic prices to go up. While some people are pointing fingers at Mercy fans, it’s worth keeping in mind that though the bundle itself is pricey, the actual contents of the package can be purchased individually for the same price they’ve typically cost. Not all Overwatch 2 players realize that you can buy each piece separately by going to the Hero menu and purchasing the items a la carte. This means if you just want the skin and not the victory pose, weapon charm, and other items, you can buy it by going to a different menu Blizzard doesn’t spotlight. But as the bundles grow in price, the community looks to players whose heroes are consistently getting cosmetics to vote for their wallet on everyone else’s behalf.
Can we please talk about how bundles used to cost 2500 coins and not 3300? pic.twitter.com/oEfeq1JTGC
— from mari, with love (@silkswans) August 12, 2025
mercy bundle being $33 and more than her crowd funding bundle but everyone still gonna buy so prices for these skins gonna keep increasing… pic.twitter.com/Dsf8D8JMC3
— #1 kiriko & illari main | kikoko𐙚 ‧₊˚ (@kikokokaa) August 12, 2025
‘why are the skins so expensive???’
*continues to buy them*
you are the reason they’re so expensive
— bunnimoni ⋆˙⟡ (@bunnimoniOW) August 12, 2025
They got the pink tax in Overwatch pic.twitter.com/EHYHNmaccE
— Paige ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (@windflowerve) August 12, 2025
i actually wish people refused to buy the sakura bundle to let blizzard know this shit is unacceptable but i know mercy mains are incapable of not competing their collections
— ᵕ̈ (@4O4joy) August 12, 2025
im gonna be real with yall, you gotta stop buying shit if you think the price is too much or you dont like it. this bundle is expensive because it has a lot in it but most importantly because blizzard knows yall will buy it no matter what the price is https://t.co/gTIUegBvsT
— layne (@sulk173869420) August 12, 2025
“Why are the skins so expensive”
Girl because you keep buying them— Symmetra Updates (@SymmUpdates) August 13, 2025
the mercy tax theory is real https://t.co/6IapWi4LK5
— froggah (@froggerupdates) August 12, 2025
but guys its 2% off! pic.twitter.com/MComQjQR5g
— spidey𐚁 (@hanzoism) August 12, 2025
Notice this bundle had a highlight intro, icon/banner, weapon charm AND spray and it’s 2500
Yet Sakura mercy has all of these minus the highlight and now it’s somehow,,, 3300? https://t.co/2QquNQJSVx— 𝐓𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐘| 𓆩Heroic Valkyrie𓆪 (@drtxddybear) August 12, 2025
Mercy players, can you boycott just one of these for once lmao https://t.co/BMbr9wKacr
— Kirikool JayDraws^2 (@GojiJay02) August 12, 2025
These skin prices are starting to get outrageous, I am normally very positive on this account but this is extremely disappointing. pic.twitter.com/NzfgOpxl6Z
— Mercy Updates (@MercyUpdatesOw2) August 12, 2025
Good luck to the Mercy mains in the ongoing cosmetic wars. I will be over here quietly wearing my Lifeweaver Sakura skin, hoping that nobody notices.
