Overwatch Changes This Character's Name After Fan Outcry
For a long time, gamers have known there's a shady side to Blizzard, but the company recently reached a new low after Activision Blizzard faced serious allegations in a lawsuit over its unfair treatment and harassment of female employees. As a result of the controversy, gamers have taken to protesting Activision Blizzard in creative ways. Even "Overwatch" League commentators have been acting in solidarity by refusing to mention a character name based on a controversial former employee of the company.
Earlir this month, a Twitter user pointed out how two casters, Josh Wilkinson and Brennon Hook, both avoided referring to the "Overwatch" character McCree by name. Speaking to a Blizzard esports representative, Kotaku confirmed that the two were not instructed by higher-ups to refrain from saying his name, though the move makes sense, especially considering fan response to the character.
McCree was named after Jesse McCree, who has been linked to Blizzard employees engaging in inappropriate behavior and conduct. As a result, a petition to change the character's name made the rounds on Twitter. Whether or not this influenced Wilkinson or Hook to avoid the name is unclear, but it seems like plenty of gamers are appreciative of the move. Fans in the community clearly don't want to be reminded of a developer who demonstrated unacceptable behavior, and it looks like Activision Blizzard has taken notice. Here's what the developers of "Overwatch" had to say about changing McCree's name.
McCree is now a gunslinger with no name
The official "Overwatch" Twitter account shared a public announcement regarding the controversial name of this gunslinger. In the message, the team states: "As we continue to discuss how we best live up to our values and to demonstrate our commitment to creating a game world that reflects them, we believe it's necessary to change the name of the hero currently known as McCree to something that better represents what Overwatch stands for."
This update will push back the release of "a narrative arc" that was planned for September, as it heavily featured the character in question. In its place, the devs will put out a new free-for-all map for that month. The team has also pledged that they will refrain from giving their characters names based on staff members from now on.
Responses on Twitter have varied. Some users are grateful that the devs have decided to move forward with renaming the character. Some believe that it is not a necessary change. Others think it's an empty gesture that fails to address the real problem at hand, and that Activision Blizzard needs to, as one user stated, "TAKE RESPONSIBILITY" for the actions that led to its many lawsuits. Another person in the thread pointed out that "McCree" is canonically the character's fake name, suggesting such a change would not necessarily have to majorly impact the story.
Ultimately, fans will have to wait and see what the gunslinger's new name will be.