Image: HoYoverse
Here are all the game events you should check out during Chinese New Year!
Chinese New Year is fast approaching (January 29), and game developers are capitalising on the festive season to launch themed events and cosmetics for your favourite live-service games. Everywhere you look, there are cosmetics, limited-time game modes, and all sorts of rewards currently available and themed after the Year of the Snake.
It’s a lot to keep track of, but never fear. We’ve rounded up the five best Chinese New Year events in gaming this year.
Overwatch 2 (available until 3 February)
The hero shooter Overwatch 2 is celebrating the Lunar New Year in 2025, as it does every year. This year, the hide-and-seek mode Mischief & Magic will return to pit Rogues against Knights in a tense game of prop hunt. Rogues can transform into props, scale walls and use double jumps to escape Knights. Knights on the other hand, must simply hunt down the Rogues and defeat them before time runs out.
More Lunar New Year-themed event modes including Capture the Flag and Bounty Hunter return, along with festive cosmetics. A few Lunar New Year cosmetic remixes are also available until the event ends on February 3.
Genshin Impact (available until 9 February)
Minigames, new story content, and more await in Genshin Impact’s annual Lantern Rite festival. This year, the Lantern Rite festival is themed ‘Springtime Charms’, and includes a free outfit for Xiangling along with a free 4-star character selector. Besides that, three minigames called Immortal Combat, Drills by Lamplight, and Gift Envelopes are available to play.
The event is live now and runs until February 9, 2025, so you have plenty of time to stop by for a few minigames.
Zenless Zone Zero (available until 10 March)
Zenless Zone Zero is kicking off its first Chinese New Year-themed event this year. The event is titled The Day of Brilliant Wishes, which has players aid Astra Yao and Eous to win a Bangboo idol contest called Ridu’s Got Boo. Using this conceit, the event will also have players participate in a series of minigames.
There’s a good reason to see this event through. One of the game’s first-ever character skins will be unlocked for free upon its completion: the Cunning Cutie outfit for Nicole Demara.
Pokemon Go (29 January to 2 February)
Pokemon Go’s Lunar New Year event has a whole bunch of goodies for players this year, from event bonuses to daily Field Research tasks awarding PokeCoins. For the Year of the Snake, Ekans, Onix, Snivy, Darumaka and Dunsparce will appear more often in the wild, along with Gyarados and Dratini. Eggs will also hatch event-themed Pokemon, and more Timed Research will be available throughout the event.
Marvel Rivals (available until 5 February)
NetEase Games’ hit hero shooter Marvel Rivals is launching its first-ever Chinese New Year-themed event this year. The Spring Festival event adds a new Rocket League-like game mode called Clash of Dancing Lions, which pits three-player teams against each other in a game of ability-based soccer. Chinese New Year-themed cosmetics for Iron Fist and Black Widow are also available in the in-game shop for purchase.
That’s not all, however! Players can also snag a Star-Lord costume, nameplate and more for free just by participating in the event, so don’t miss out.
