Overwatch 2 will be looking to make a splash in order to bring back some of its fanbase that it has lost over the years. Part of the changes that the Overwatch development team has decided to make is to no longer reference developers of the game in Overwatch, and that is being reflected in Overwatch 2.
This development comes after the wave of misconduct allegations aimed at Blizzard, which included developer Jesse McCree, the namesake of Overwatch character McCree.
Overwatch changed McCree's name to Cole Cassidy in light of the allegations, and that's when it was decided that the team would avoid referencing developers.
In the Toronto map that is coming to Overwatch 2, Blizzard has in-game advertisements for a coffee chain called Tim Fordsons, a likely reference to the Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons. Reddit user ZenofyMedia, who also works on graphic design for the Overwatch League, has announced that the in-game coffee chain will have its name changed to Tom Beansons. This change is likely because Tim Ford is the name of one of the members of Overwatch's development team.
Blizzard have removed "Tim Fordsons" references and replaced the brand with "Tom Beansons" fromOverwatch
Blizzard, under the greater umbrella of Activision Blizzard, has been embroiled in controversy since mid-2021 following a lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has sexist workplace issues within the company. Dozens of employees have resigned or been fired over the course of the lawsuit, including the aforementioned Jesse McCree.
The Overwatch team has also seen a number of departures over the past year, including the original face of the team, Jeff Kaplan. Kaplan was a beloved figure in the Overwatch community, and his departure has left some fans worried about the future of the series. However, Kaplan's resignation was likely due to being unable to handle the "corporate BS" within Activision Blizzard, as several members of the Overwatch development team have publicly announced their support for him in protecting his team.
Overwatch 2's beta is at the end of the month, so players will have the chance to check out the Toronto map themselves soon. It is not yet clear if the massive changes Blizzard has come up with for Overwatch 2 will be enough to put the series back on the map like the original did back in 2016, but fans will find out soon.
Overwatch 2 is currently in development.