The short answer is yes, Ramattra will be free eventually, but there are some caveats. He is not available for free right away for all players. Let‘s dive deeper into the details around unlocking this new tank hero.
How to Unlock Ramattra
Here are all the ways you can get access to Ramattra:
Purchase Him: You can buy Ramattra directly in the in-game shop for 900 Overwatch coins, which is around $10. This gives instant access no matter what.
Premium Battle Pass: If you purchase the 1000 Overwatch coin premium Season 2 battle pass, Ramattra unlocks instantly at Tier 1. Again, this costs around $10.
Free Battle Pass: For non-paying players, Ramattra unlocks on the free track of the battle pass at Tier 45. This will take a significant time investment to reach without paying.
Hero Challenges: After Season 2 is over, Ramattra can be unlocked through completing hero challenges focused on playing as tanks. This avenue won‘t be available until Season 3 starts.
So in summary, you can either pay $10 to unlock Ramattra now, grind 100+ hours to unlock him through the free battle pass, or wait until the hero challenges are available next season.
Why is Ramattra Locked Behind the Battle Pass?
Ramattra is the first Overwatch 2 hero not instantly available to all players for free. Previous heroes like Kiriko were accessible through the free battle pass immediately.
According to Blizzard, this change was made to provide more value and rewards for the premium battle pass. Locking a brand new meta tank behind it incentivizes purchases.
However, this shift has frustrated some fans who don‘t want core gameplay content locked behind grinding or paywalls. Especially competitive players who need access to all heroes.
The community is divided on whether this monetization strategy is fair. Some think new heroes should be freely accessible to uphold competitive integrity. Others don‘t mind the change as Ramattra is eventually obtainable for free.
Is Overwatch Pay to Win Now?
With a top-tier tank like Ramattra locked behind a paywall temporarily, some players feel this gives an advantage to paying players and makes Overwatch slightly "pay to win."
However, competitive matches require owning a large hero pool, so freely rotating the wide range of free tank options should allow solid team compositions. And Ramattra will open up for free players after a few months.
So having one locked tank is unlikely to destroy game balance. But it may provide a slight competitive advantage to players who instantly unlocked Ramattra, compared to those who have to grind 50+ hours to obtain him.
The Player Community is Frustrated…
The Overwatch community seems to be fairly divided on whether locking Ramattra behind the battle pass is justified, or crosses the line into "pay to win" territory.
Many casual players don‘t mind the change, as Ramattra is still obtainable for free eventually. They see this as a fair monetization model for a free game.
However, parts of the competitive community are very vocal about their frustration. Top-level players feel all gameplay relevant heroes should be freely accessible from launch for fairness.
Popular Overwatch streamers and league players have also voiced concerns about Ramattra‘s locked status:
"New heroes should be available to all players. Locking them blocks competitive integrity" – Pro Player Crusty
"Guess I have to pay to keep playing competitively? Not loving this change." – Streamer Samito
"First hero not unlocked for free. Sets a bad precedent for Overwatch 2 IMO." – Streamer ML7
So there is significant frustration coming from parts of the dedicated Overwatch community. Whether Blizzard will tweak their hero unlock strategy in response remains to be seen.
Player Investment in Overwatch Keeps Growing
While the monetization and unlock changes have caused some backlash, player investment and spending in Overwatch 2 continues to grow significantly.
According to reports, revenue since transitioning to a free-to-play model has increased ten times compared to the original Overwatch:
| Revenue Metric | Overwatch 1 | Overwatch 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | 7-10 million | Over 25 million |
| Monthly Revenue | $50 million | Over $200 million |
This shows that while parts of the community are voicing concern over Ramattra‘s locked status, the overall player base seems happy with Overwatch 2‘s monetization and unlock structure.
Millions of new and returning players are enjoying the game as a free title and opting to spend money on battle passes, skins, and heroes like Ramattra. So the change seems to be a financial win for Blizzard, even if not universally loved.
Is Ramattra Worth Buying?
For competitive players who want access immediately, Ramattra seems to be a strong addition worth purchasing. Early tier lists consistently rate Ramattra as an "S-Tier" tank:
| Tank Tier List | Rating |
|---|---|
| Reinhardt | S-Tier |
| D.Va | A-Tier |
| Ramattra | S-Tier |
| Zarya | B-Tier |
He brings disruption and damage mitigation through his abilities:
- Ravenous Vortex – Creates an area that slows enemies dramatically
- Nebula – Converts damage dealt into shields for temporary health
- Annihilation – Charged punch that knocks away enemies
This unique toolkit provides Ramattra with playmaking potential. His ability to secure kills and sustain himself will likely make him a top pick.
So for players focused on competition and meta picks, Ramattra seems worth instantly unlocking through purchase or premium battle pass. Casual players will likely be fine waiting to unlock him later down the road.
Is Overwatch 2 Going Too Far on Monetization?
While the core gameplay of Overwatch 2 remains free, the number of paid cosmetics, battle passes, and now heroes continues to grow. Is the game becoming excessively monetized?
There are now multiple $20+ skin bundles, $10 season passes every 9 weeks, and $10 heroes. For a dedicated player to gain access to all content, the costs add up quickly.
However, these monetization avenues are optional. You can enjoy Overwatch 2 forever without spending money if desired. The core 5v5 multiplayer action remains untouched.
But it does seem Blizzard is ramping up experiments with premium content now that the game is free-to-play. How the community reacts to this strategy long-term remains to be seen.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, Ramattra will eventually be free for all players through battle pass progression or hero challenges. So no one has to spend money to gain access.
But competitive players will likely feel pressured to purchase Ramattra or the premium battle pass to not be disadvantaged. This may leave a sour taste compared to past heroes being freely accessible.
For casual players just looking to have fun, Ramattra entering the hero pool a bit later likely won‘t majorly impact their experience. But the competitive community sees this as a worrying shift towards play-to-win mechanics.
Blizzard seems focused on maximizing revenue with Overwatch 2‘s transition to free-to-play. Locking Ramattra provides incentive to purchase battle passes and heroes.
Players will decide individually whether the monetization strategy crosses the line for them personally. But Ramattra will ultimately be obtainable by everyone without spending money. It just takes time and patience.
