Overwatch’s Gay Characters: Blizzard, It’s Time to Show, Not Tell

Oct 20, 2016

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The year is 2054. Frank Ocean’s third album, released just days ago, plays softly in the background. I load the hologram in the palm of my hand, the display of the news channel as mottled light on my digits.

‘Blizzard Continues to Tease Overwatch Gay Character Reveal’

Ever since Blizzard confirmed that at least one of Overwatch’s heroes is gay, fans have kept a close eye on the game. Support for slash (male/male) and femslash (female/female) couples has been unbounded as fans have produced art and entire works of fiction depicting happy and committed same-sex relationships between Overwatch characters.

Although almost an entire year has passed since the initial gay character confirmation, Blizzard continues to tease fans. In July the Overwatch Twitter reaffirmed that there is LGBT representation with a wink, but just days ago it replied to a fan’s tweet about McHanzo (the portmanteau of Mcree and Hanzo’s relationship) with the about same enthusiasm of a grossed out teenage boy.

It’s perhaps fair that fans are now asking whether Blizzard’s promise to reveal the character’s sexuality in a natural and organic way was a ruse, or a stalling tactic and that the developer never intended to provide a name at all. Furthermore, questions of whether Blizzard doesn’t want to risk poking the bigots’ beehive are more than valid.

The ball is in Blizzard’s court now; I just hope we find out who before I’m old and (fully) grey.

Bio
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Jasmine Henry

Staff Writer at New Normative

Jasmine Henry is a games and technology writer from the UK who has been playing video games since before she could tie her own shoelaces. She is also a serial games hoarder (thanks Steam sales!) and dreams of a day when the representation of women and minorities in games is no longer debated and is simply just the ‘norm’.

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Comments

3 responses to “Overwatch’s Gay Characters: Blizzard, It’s Time to Show, Not Tell”

jakdripr

October 20, 2016

Personally I’d prefer they never did, it’s a shooter not a life sim, coming out and pointing out which character is gay will always feel disingenuous because of the context of the game we’re talking about here. In the grand scheme of things why does it even matter? As a black muslim believe me I understand the need for representation, but I just feel like Blizzard coming out and saying “x character is gay” will feel like a publicity stunt imo as opposed to a genuine attempt to diversify their roster.

Reply
1. Greg Micek
  
  October 20, 2016
  
  Definitely a great point. Any kind of a reveal is going to be a bit of a circus at this point. Fingers crossed for subtlety!
  
  Reply
General Talon

October 20, 2016

No one cares, it’s not important.
There are plenty of things that aren’t represented in Overwatch and literally only a select few of obsessed nerds cry about this crap and post about it on General Discussions constantly and it’s old and pointless.

P.S. Its Zenyatta and Bastion, now go to bed.

Reply