If you’ve been grinding the 2026 Pixar x Brawl Stars crossover event for the past few weeks, you’ve probably asked the same question as thousands of other players: when will buzz lightyear leave brawl stars? The space ranger has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to his fun kit, playful voice lines, and surprisingly strong performance in team-based modes, so it’s no surprise people want to know how long they have to unlock him and his exclusive rewards. I’ve been maining Buzz for most of the crossover so far, and I’ve put together all the official details, tips, and need-to-know info to help you make the most of his limited time in the game.
When Will Buzz Lightyear Leave Brawl Stars in 2026? Confirmed Departure Date
Supercell officially announced the 2026 Pixar crossover run dates months before the event launched, and Buzz Lightyear’s last day in the in-game shop, Brawl Pass, and loot pool is June 18, 2026. That means you have just over three months from the event’s March 12 launch date to unlock him if you want to add him to your roster. After that date, he will be removed from all in-game reward pools, and there are no announced plans for him to return in 2026 or future years, though crossover reruns are always a possibility.
It’s important to note that if you unlock Buzz before June 18, you get to keep him permanently. You won’t lose access to him, his skins, or his mastery progress once the event ends, so any time or resources you put into him now won’t go to waste. I’ve already seen a lot of new players worried they’ll lose him if they unlock him early, but that’s not the case with limited time crossover brawlers.
Limited Rewards You Can Unlock Before Buzz Leaves the Roster
Buzz isn’t the only exclusive content available during the 2026 crossover. There are a handful of limited-time rewards that will also disappear on June 18, with no confirmed re-release date. You don’t have to spend real money to get most of these rewards, either – free-to-play players can unlock almost everything just by completing daily and weekly challenges. You can check the full list of crossover challenge requirements and reward previews on the official Brawl Stars 2026 event page to plan your grind efficiently.
The full list of exclusive limited-time rewards includes:
Is Buzz Lightyear Worth Grinding For in 2026?
This is the question I get asked most often by friends who play casually, and the answer depends a lot on your playstyle and what you want out of the game. First, let’s talk about his kit: Buzz is a mid-range support/damage hybrid with 3200 base health, 7-tile range on his primary rocket attack, and a super that deploys a 4-tile wide shield that blocks all projectile damage for 3 seconds for you and all nearby teammates.
His biggest strength is his ability to counter long-range snipers like Piper and Brock, because his shield can completely negate their burst damage during objective pushes. He’s also incredibly strong in Heist, Siege, and Hot Zone modes, where team play and objective control matter more than individual outplays. If you regularly play team modes with friends, he’s absolutely worth grinding for, and he’s one of the strongest support brawlers in the 2026 meta right now.
That said, he’s not a great pick for every player. If you only play Solo Showdown, his low health and reliance on team support make him a pretty mediocre choice, and you’re better off spending your coins on brawlers that perform better in 1v1 scenarios. Unlocked brawlers stay in your roster permanently even after the crossover ends, though, so even if you don’t plan to main him, he’s a fun collectible to have if you have extra coins lying around.
Pro Tips to Use Buzz Lightyear Effectively Before He Departs
If you do unlock Buzz before June 18, there are a few easy tricks you can use to get way more value out of his kit, even if you’re new to playing support brawlers. I’ve put hundreds of matches into him over the past month, and these are the tips that helped me push his mastery to rank 30 faster than almost any other brawler I’ve mained.
Save his super for objective pushes, not for random fights. It can be tempting to pop your shield to save yourself from a Piper snipe in the middle of a random skirmish, but you’ll get way more value saving it for when your team is pushing the Heist safe, capturing the Siege bot, or taking a Hot Zone point. A well-timed shield can win you a match in 2 seconds, so don’t waste it on small fights that don’t matter for the objective.
Another tip is to pair him with a tank brawler like El Primo or Frank whenever possible. Buzz’s biggest weakness is his low health, so having a tank that can soak up close-range damage from assassins like Mortis or Edgar lets you sit back and deal consistent damage from mid-range without worrying about getting jumped. I run him with my friend who mains Frank almost every weekend, and we have a 72% win rate in Heist mode with that combo.
Don't waste coins maxing him right away if you have other meta brawlers to upgrade. While he’s strong in team modes, he’s not a must-have for every game mode, so if you’re working on upgrading a top-tier brawler like Crow or surge that works in every mode, prioritize that first. Once you have your main roster maxed, then you can dump coins into Buzz if you want to push his rank higher.
If you do plan to main him long term, the best gear combo for him is speed gear and shield gear. The speed gear makes him much harder to catch for assassins, and the shield gear gives him extra survivability if he does get caught out of position. I tried running damage gear on him for a week, and it barely made a difference in his kill count, so stick to survivability gear for the best results.
Now that you know when will buzz lightyear leave brawl stars in 2026, you can plan out your grind accordingly to get all the rewards you want before the crossover wraps up. Even if you don’t plan to main him long term, the exclusive skins, icons, and sprays are fun collectibles that won’t be available again unless Supercell brings the crossover back, which they haven’t announced any plans for as of mid-2026. If you do pick him up, spend some time testing him out in different modes – he’s way more versatile than most casual players realize, and he’s a ton of fun to run with a coordinated team. I’m planning to log as many matches with him as I can before June, and I’m already crossing my fingers Supercell brings him back for a second run down the line.