If you’ve spent any time scrolling through Deadlock lobbies in the festive season, you’ve probably spotted other players rocking glowing, snow-covered weapon skins and ugly sweater hero outfits that make every match feel like a holiday party. Wondering how to get Deadlock Christmas skins without wasting hours grinding the wrong challenges or overspending on random loot boxes? You’re in the right place. I’ve unlocked every single Christmas skin released for the game over the last few festive seasons, so I’m breaking down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to prioritize your time to get the skins you actually want.
How to Get Deadlock Christmas Skins via Free In-Game Challenges
The vast majority of festive Deadlock skins are available for free, as long as you’re willing to put in a few hours of play during the annual 4-week Christmas event. The event runs from mid-December to early January every year, and adds a rotating set of daily and weekly challenges tied to event tokens, the currency used to unlock Christmas cosmetics. If you’re looking to build a full collection of festive cosmetics without spending a dime, this is the most reliable way how to get Deadlock Christmas skins for every hero on your roster.
Most free Christmas skins require 15 to 25 event tokens to unlock, and you earn 2 to 3 tokens per completed challenge. Challenges range from simple tasks like playing 5 quick play matches to more specific goals like getting 10 kills with a particular hero or healing 10,000 HP as a support. You don’t have to win matches to complete most challenges, so even casual players can unlock 2 to 3 free skins per event without stress.
You can track your progress for each challenge in the event tab of the main menu, and you can swap out one challenge per day if you get one that doesn’t fit your playstyle. For example, if you only play damage heroes and get a challenge to play 10 support matches, you can swap it for a damage-focused challenge instead to save time.
Paid Options for Unlocking Rare Limited-Edition Christmas Skins
If you want access to exclusive, higher-detail Christmas skins that aren’t available via free challenges, there are two paid options you can choose from, both offered directly through the in-game shop. First is the premium Christmas event battle pass, which costs $9.99 and unlocks a track of exclusive rewards as you earn event tokens from challenges.
The premium battle pass pays for itself if you play at least 3 matches a week during the 4-week event, since it also includes 1,000 in-game gold (equal to $10 worth of store credit) you can use for future cosmetics or battle passes. The pass usually includes 8 to 12 exclusive Christmas skins, plus matching weapon charms, profile banners, and sprays that you can’t get anywhere else.
The second paid option is limited-time standalone skin bundles, which drop for 72 hours at random points throughout the event. These bundles usually cost $14.99 to $19.99, and include a high-detail legendary Christmas skin, a matching animated weapon skin, and a custom emote for the hero. Standalone skin bundles never go on sale during their initial release window, so you don’t have to wait for a discount if you want to pick one up immediately. None of these paid skins give you any in-game advantage, so only spend money if you really love the design, not to gain an edge over other players.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting for Festive Deadlock Skins
Even if you follow all the official steps, it’s easy to waste time or money if you don’t know the small quirks of Deadlock’s event system. A lot of new players assume they have to spend hundreds of dollars to get good cosmetics, but that’s not the case when you’re learning how to get Deadlock Christmas skins the right way. I’ve made almost all of these mistakes myself, so you don’t have to:
So many players I know waste half their event tokens on loot boxes only to get duplicate sprays, then can’t afford the skin they’ve been grinding for all month. It’s such an easy mistake to make, but it’s totally avoidable if you make a list of the skins you want before you start spending tokens.
What to Do If You Miss Out on Christmas Skins During the Event
If the event ends before you can unlock all the Christmas skins you wanted, don’t panic. You don’t have to pay ridiculous markup prices from third-party sellers to get the skins you missed, and you won’t have to wait forever for them to come back. Deadlock has a consistent track record of re-releasing older Christmas skins during the next festive season, usually for the same token cost or price as their original launch.
Some older limited skins also pop up in the monthly community vote shop, where players pick which retired cosmetics go on sale for a week. These skins are usually sold for in-game gold or a small amount of real money, and they’re 100% legitimate, so you don’t have to worry about account bans. I missed out on the Santa Rampage skin for Brimstone when it first launched, and was able to pick it up for 20 event tokens the following year, so it’s worth being patient if you can’t get a skin right away.
The only exception is charity Christmas skins, which are only sold once, with 100% of proceeds going to holiday food bank charities. These skins never get re-released, so if you see one you like during the event, it’s worth picking up immediately if you can afford it, since you won’t get another chance.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to get Deadlock Christmas skins doesn’t have to be complicated, as long as you prioritize the content you enjoy and avoid the common traps that waste your time and cash. Whether you’re a casual player who only wants a couple of free skins for your main, or a collector who wants to grab every festive cosmetic in the event, there’s an option that fits your schedule and budget. Keep an eye on the official Deadlock social channels for event start dates, and you’ll be rocking festive skins in your lobbies before you know it.