[Update]: Overwatch is giving away a bunch of free loot boxes to celebrate the holiday season.

If you've somehow managed to avoid playing Overwatch all these years, yet you harbor at least a bit of interest in it, today is your lucky day! Blizzard has just launched their massive holiday sale, and as a part of it an extended free trial for Overwatch as well!

As such, from today until January 4th you can play the entirety of Overwatch for free. This includes all of the various game modes and maps, heroes and user-created content, as well as all of the numerous cosmetics released as a part of the base game or the currently ongoing Winter Wonderland event. And should you decide to purchase Overwatch later on, all of your progress will carry over.

The one and only limitation is that you cannot dive into Competitive Play on a trial account in order to keep things nice and fair for everyone. That said, if you're an actual beginner that's more of a blessing than a curse as you really don't want to get into the 'serious' modes before figuring out all of the basics. Quick Play also has skill-based matchmaking, and with plenty of new players around, it should provide you with a pretty good challenge all the way through the trial.

Finally, if you find yourself enjoying Overwatch, it's also worth mentioning that it's currently on a bit of a discount. The Legendary version is 50% off and will set you back $20 in exchange for a couple of hero skins, while the basic version is 25% off and is currently $15. The difference between the two versions is purely cosmetic, so don't worry about missing out if you choose to go for the cheaper option.

Have fun, and I'll leave you with one of my favorite animated shorts, just to get you into the proper mood: