Blizzard is caving to public pressure from social justice warriors and removing an Overwatch pose that some players considered to be overtly sexualized.
The scandal concerns Tracer, one of the leading figures in Blizzard's latest shooter. The female assassin takes a winning pose that many Overwatch fans deemed inappropriate. In it, Tracer is looking over her shoulder, as her spandex suit showcases her anatomy.
According to Overwatch forums user "Fipps," Blizzard exaggerated and "reduced Tracer to another bland female sex symbol."
The user explains that Tracer lacks the vixen allure that is the staple of Widowmaker, another feminine character from Overwatch. Fipps claims that Blizzard is "willing to reduce [lady characters] to sex symbols" in order to boost its sales, and adds that he wants his daughter to play Overwatch without being stuck with monochromatic role models.
Jeff Kaplan, the creative director for the game, replied to the disheartened commenter and said that his team had previously expressed some doubts about Tracer's pose. As such, in the final installment of the game, the visual sequence will be replaced.
"That pose [which] had been called into question from an appropriateness standpoint by players in our community did help influence our decision," Kaplan says.
Kaplan makes clear that his decision is a result of listening to feedback from the community, and not pandering or caving to the fans' demands. He underlines that such comments lead to improving the characters and the game as a whole.
"That kind of feedback is part of the reason we're holding a closed beta test," the creative director points out. He adds that Blizzard can deliver better and more appropriate visuals that would be satisfactory to the entire fan base.
As it was expected, Blizzard fans flamed over the issue, condemning the company for giving in to exaggerated demands.
The debate stretches over a 33-page (and counting) thread on the Overwatch forum alone. Pro and con arguments piled on the matter, with some users taking the time to go through Kaplan's explanation and demolish it, point by point.
One reason for Fipps' strong reaction might be that Overwatch is a bright, colorful and upbeat game that closely resembles a Saturday morning cartoon rather than a gritty, realistic Call of Duty match. Players have a tendency to look at it as being more family-friendly than other titles. Tracer, in particular, seems to cater to the sensitivities of younger gamers, which may be what started this storm in the first place.
In comparison, nobody chastised Bayonetta 2 for its M-rated content, although it is obvious that the game focuses on a niche adult demographic.
Insiders from the gaming world point out that the pose was not a radical 180-degree shift for Tracer, but a simple variation and splice of smugness added to an otherwise funky character. It should be mentioned that Tracer is not even the only Overwatch character that strikes a back-to-the-camera pose, as Hanzo does precisely the same. The main difference is that the male character's derriere is covered by layers of baggy clothing.
Overwatch loyalists will be able to enjoy the game fully starting May 24 on the three main gaming platforms: PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
