Meanwhile, he’ll see Tracer on the other side of the war, since she’s a Redcoat Cavalrywoman with twin Revolutionary-era revolvers in her hip holsters. I understand the logic behind this; lots of the other characters delve into their national cultural heritage too. Widowmaker is a Mousquetaire, Zarya a Polyanitsa warrior, Genji a samurai, and Lucio a Conquistador. But for a long time, the excuse held up in defence of Tracer and Soldier 76’s queerness only featuring off-screen is that Overwatch 2 tips|https://overwatch2Fans.com/ simply isn’t the type of game that allows for anything more. Well, the Archives skins do. There is so much cultural history in their queerness, in Stonewall and the earliest Pride protests, in the punk movement, in art, and through cultural trailblazers that speak to the heart of who Soldier 76 is far more than just putting him in a different soldier outfit from a few centuries
Overwatch has received a lot of deserved praise and justified criticism for its growing cast of characters, two of which have been confirmed as members of the LGBT community. Tracer, the game’s cover star, is a lesbian whose partner has featured in the universe a number of times, while hardened marine Soldier 76 is also homosexual. This diversity is welcome, and a step above many other games out there, but much of the queer discussion surrounding Overwatch is pushed to the sideli
Paladins, a free-to-play shooter which took a _ lot _ of inspiration from Overwatch, has a battle pass, and it functions brilliantly. Now imagine this with Blizzard’s budget. I used to be filled with excitement when Overwatch introduced new seasonal events, hoping that my favourite trio of heroes would receive skins I could flaunt on the battlefield. Now, I’m just indifferent, rolling my eyes as the same optional modes, the same skins, and the same aesthetic are rolled out again and again to keep us ha
Tracer and Soldier 76’s sexuality were confirmed in comics and other supplemental materials, and you’d struggle to see them mentioned in the game itself with the exception of a few small inclusions. Emily, Tracer’s girlfriend, is an optional spray, and the time-zipping agent will mention her briefly in a piece of dialogue in King’s Row, but beyond this it’s slim pickings for the gays in Overwatch. With the sequel set to focus on narrative to a significant degree, I sincerely hope Blizzard does a better job of embracing its queer characters instead of treating them like a dirty little sec
The benefit of a battle pass, compared to a loot box, is you get to see what you’re buying. You know exactly what you get for your $10 before you buy the premium tier - though, you still don’t get to choose what you’re buying. If there’s a specific skin, victory pose, or voiceline you’re after, your only option is to buy Coins with real mo
On the surface, the game is making all the right decisions. Both versions of the battle pass are packed with skins, sprays, charms, and a variety of content that outweighs anything its predecessor had in its first few months. Seasonal events are established, and an existing roster of heroes we’ve already fallen in love with have a generous roster of cosmetics and lore to build upon. I’m already invested, and for Blizzard that is half the battle right now.
Sexuality is a defining part of your identity, and the passion amongst fans to see this explored in the games is evident, but I will admit it remains drenched in heteronormativity. I committed the cardinal sin of searching for ‘Tracer and Emily’ in Google images and was greeted with far more than the comic introducing their relationship, with crudely animated porn primed on the male gaze being pushed more than anything e
With a sequel, major characters will likely be reintroduced for a new audience, especially the likes of Tracer and Soldier 76. There’s no need to scream and shout about being queer from the rooftops, but just make that aspect of these characters clear in their history, and how it matters beyond a tick in the diversity box. I care about the relationships and dynamics of queer people, especially when I can see it in games like this, so the last thing I want is to see it shoehorned in and immediately shied away from whenever the situation calls for
Overwatch 2 isn’t the only game with expensive cosmetics (have you heard of Pokemon Unite? ) but it might be the only one that’s ever taken previously earnable skins and charged $20 for them. Maybe if you compare Overwatch 2 to similar f2p games like Apex Legends and Fortnite you’ll see that it’s prices are right in line, but no one is comparing Overwatch 2 to Apex Legends, they’re comparing it to Overwatch. The justification for a sequel already felt weak, now it just seems like Overwatch 2 only exists so Blizzard can charge more for skins. It’s a dark day when I find myself nostalgic for loot boxes, but that is the free-to-play reality of Overwatc