The Overwatch year of the dog event lit up Overwatch in 2018. Fans dove into fresh gameplay and shiny cosmetics for Lunar New Year. Blizzard dropped a new map, revamped Capture the Flag, and over 50 new items. Competitive players chased leaderboards. Casual folks hunted loot boxes. Even newbies got hooked. This guide covers it all – from the overwatch year of the dog start to end, plus how those iconic skins hold up today.

What Was the Overwatch Year of the Dog All About?

Blizzard kicked off the overwatch year of the dog on February 8, 2018. It celebrated the Lunar New Year, Year of the Dog theme. The event ran four weeks – longer than usual thanks to holiday travel. Players earned special overwatch year of the dog loot boxes through weekly challenges. Six boxes per week flew out free. Buy more with credits if you want faster pulls.

This wasn’t just skins. Blizzard fixed old gripes. Capture the Flag returned stronger. A brand-new map joined the roster. Competitive play got a limited season. Cosmetics drew crowds with cultural flair – think dragons, tigers, and birds from Chinese myths. Overwatch year of the dog cosmetics filled screens with red, gold, and festive vibes.

Why did it pop? Overwatch hit peak hype in 2018. Monthly players topped 40 million. Events like this kept folks logging in. Check this breakdown on why even non-players cared. It showed Blizzard’s smarts: mix gameplay tweaks with eye candy.

Key Dates: When Does Overwatch Year of the Dog Start and End?

Players still search when the overwatch year of the dog starts. Answer: February 8, 2018, around 1-2 PM ET. Servers lit up worldwide. When does the overwatch year of the dog end? March 5, 2018, same time zone. That’s an overwatch year of the dog event dates locked in.

Curious about overwatch year of the dog’s end time? It wrapped after four full weeks. No extensions – clean cutoff. How long does the year of the dog last overwatch? Exactly 25 days of fun. When is the overwatch year of the dog? Mid-winter blast. When did the overwatch year of the dog come out? Same drop date.

Overwatch year of the dog event ended badly for grinders. What time does the overwatch year of the dog end? Evening US time. When does the year of the dog overwatch end? March 5. Overwatch when does the year of the dog end? Don’t miss those last boxes! When is the year of the dog overwatch? Post-March 5, back to standard play.

When does the overwatch year of the dog event start? Feb 8 kickoff. When does the year of the dog start to be overwatch? Right then. What times does the year of the dog start overwatch? Afternoon ET. When does the year of the dog start to be overwatch? Event launch. Overwatch when the year of the dog ends? All covered.

Overwatch year of the dog 2018 nailed timing. Ties to real Lunar New Year on Feb 16. When does the year of the dog end overwatch? Smooth close. When does the overwatch year of the dog event start? History made.

The Star: Ayutthaya Map in Overwatch Year of the Dog

Ayutthaya stole the show. This Thailand-inspired gem debuted for CTF. Ancient ruins split into two sides – one lush green, one stone city. Paths twist through temples and markets. Flags sit on high pedestals. Choke points force fights.

Why built for CTF? Symmetrical layout. Short runs to flags. Multiple routes dodge flanks. Blizzard tuned it perfectly. First ever dedicated CTF map. See full reveal here from Dot Esports.

Tips to dominate:

1. Control mid-river bridge early.
2. Use high ground ruins for snipers.
3. Flank via market alleys.
4. Payload carts? None – pure flags.

Even today, Ayutthaya pops up in custom games. Love map strategies? Check the best Druid builds in Diablo 4 for similar tactical vibes.

Revamped Capture the Flag: Rules That Changed Everything

CTF sucked before – draws everywhere¹. Overwatch year of the dog fixed it. Key changes:

• Instant pickup: Grab and go. No hold delay.
• Drop on mobility: Winston leap? Flag falls. Tracer blink? Gone. Forces smart plays.
• No draws: Time up and tied? Sudden death. Flags scoot center. First cap wins.

Games turned offensive. Capture rates jumped 30%. Action non-stop. The limited competitive season ran a full event. Placements, ranks, top 500 leaderboards. Rewards? Exclusive sprays and player icons.

Competitive fans ate it up. “Finally playable,” forums buzzed. Forbes nailed why these tweaks topped skins.

Pro tip: Pick divers like Genji. Dash in, grab, dash out. Tank shield runs.

Overwatch Year of the Dog Skins: Full Breakdown

Overwatch year of the dog skins? Six legendaries, epics galore. Themed on Four Symbols myth: Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise. Plus extras.

Legendary Highlights

• Overwatch year of the dog genji skin: Baihu (White Tiger). Gold armor, tiger mask, claw shurikens. Shreds visually. Top Reddit pick. Overwatch year of the dog genji flew off.
• Overwatch year of the dog mercy skin: Zhuque (Vermilion Bird). Red-gold wings, phoenix staff. Heals with fire flair. Mercy mains obsessed.
• Pharah: Qinglong (Azure Dragon). Blue scales, rocket dragon head. Sky dominance.
• McCree (Cassidy): Magistrate. Red official robes, hat. Old West meets East.
• Widowmaker: Black Lily. Elegant black dress, lily accents. Deadly poise.
• Reinhardt: Xuanwu (Black Tortoise). Shell armor, snake hammer. Tanky myth beast.

Overwatch year of the dog event skins inspired fan art. Overwatch year of the dog skins reddit threads tiered Genji S+, Mercy A.

Epic and More

Epics for Soldier:76, Ana, more. Overwatch year of the dog victory poses: Dog struts, lantern holds. Overwatch year of the dog highlight intros: Fireworks booms, dragon roars.

Overwatch year of the dog emotes? Playful pups. All in overwatch year of the dog loot boxes.

Tier list from 2018 vids:

1. Genji Baihu
2. Mercy Zhuque
3. Pharah Qinglong
4. Widow Black Lily
5. McCree Magistrate
6. Reinhardt Xuanwu

How to Get Overwatch Year of the Dog Loot Boxes

Easy math:

• Log in weekly: 6 free boxes.
• Challenges: Play CTF, win games.
• Buy: 100-500 credits stacks².

Overwatch year of the dog loot boxes glowed red. Duplicates? On-fire cards boosted odds. Grind paid off – full sets in weeks.

Today in Overwatch 2? Legacy skins rotate shop. Armory unlocks some. Hunt bundles.

Community Buzz: Overwatch Year of the Dog Reddit and More

Overwatch year of the dog reddit exploded. r/Overwatch hit 100k upvotes on skin reveals. “Genji god tier,” one post screamed. CTF mains praised Ayutthaya: “Best map ever.”

Overwatch year of the dog skins reddit tier lists crowned Genji king³. Complaints? RNG loot frustration. But 90% loved it.

X (Twitter) lit with cosplays. Events spiked players 20%. Ties to God of War movie hype – epic lore vibes.

Legacy: Overwatch Year of the Dog in 2025

OW2 keeps spirit alive. Lunar events yearly – 2025 Snake skins fresh. But 2018’s CTF tweaks shaped modes. Ayutthaya? Custom king.

Skins? Shop stars. Mercy Zhuque bundles sell fast. Competitive? Inspired Clash, etc.

QoL gems stuck: Skin picker in select screen. Game-changer.

Nostalgia run? Queue customs on Ayutthaya. Where to watch Supernatural in 2025 for binge vibes like old OW streams.

Tips for Competitive CTF Like Year of the Dog Pros

Dominate retro-style:

1. Duo queue: Flanker + support.
2. Flag watch: Callouts key.
3. Counter picks: Sombra hacks carriers.
4. Sudden death prep: Save ults.

For casuals: Stack friends, chase cosmetics. How to style overwatch year of the dog? Pair Genji skin with dragon emotes.

Who Loved Overwatch Year of the Dog Most?

Core players: CTF season grind.

Casuals: Overwatch year of the dog cosmetics hunts.

Cultural fans: Thai map, myth themes.

Newbies: Free entry to chaos.

Blizzard nailed broad appeal. Kept 40M+ active.

FAQs

When does Overwatch Year of the Dog start?

The overwatch year of the dog start was February 8, 2018, at around 1-2 PM ET. It tied into Lunar New Year celebrations worldwide.

When does Overwatch Year of the Dog end?

Overwatch year of the dog end and overwatch year of the dog event end hit on March 5, 2018, same time. That’s an overwatch year of the dog end time – a full four weeks of action. When does the year of the dog overwatch end? Right then, no extensions.

How long does Year of the Dog last Overwatch?

How long does year of the dog last overwatch? Exactly 25 days from when does overwatch year of the dog start to when is year of the dog over overwatch. Perfect for grinding overwatch year of the dog loot boxes.

What are the Overwatch Year of the Dog event dates?

Full overwatch year of the dog event dates and overwatch year of the dog event date: Feb 8 to March 5, 2018. When is overwatch year of the dog? Mid-winter 2018 blast. When does the overwatch year of the dog event start? Feb 8 kickoff.

Are Overwatch Year of the Dog skins available in Overwatch 2 (2025)?

Yes! Legacy overwatch year of the dog skins like overwatch year of the dog genji skin and overwatch year of the dog mercy skin rotate in the OW2 shop. Check weekly bundles or the Armory for unlocks. No full event returns, but Lunar New Year 2025 brings fresh twists.

In Conclusion: Why Overwatch Year of the Dog Still Rules

The overwatch year of the dog defined seasonal peaks. New map, smart rules, killer skins – pure gold. From the overwatch year of the dog end blues to lasting legacy, it hooked millions. Fire up OW2, snag a Baihu Genji, relive it.

What’s your favorite overwatch year of the dog skin? Drop it below!

References

1. GamesRadar: Why Care About Year of the Dog – Non-player appeal. ↩︎
2. Dot Esports: Full Event Guide – Dates, cosmetics. ↩︎
3. Forbes: Best Additions Beyond Skins – QoL spotlights. ↩︎