Though Overwatch 2 continues the tradition of focusing on an incredibly diverse roster of heroes, some players feel like one design change goes against that philosophy. The change in question deals with McCree, as his Overwatch 2 look has split the community.
One of the Overwatch franchise’s most popular characters, the gunslinger McCree is known for his trusty revolver and his iconic “it’s High Noon” dialogue. However, a small part of the Overwatch community has been debating about McCree’s race for years, as nothing has officially been said regarding the hero’s ethnicity. Though the hero has often appeared as a Caucasian man with a deep tan, some have argued that this tan could hint at some Native American or Hispanic heritage.
With this in mind, McCree’s recently revealed redesign has sparked some heated discussion and frustrated a part of the Overwatch fan base. While the fuller beard and haircut have been positively received, and the new armor is well-liked due to an increase in detail, McCree’s skin tone has sparked debate. The hero’s tan has been removed, removing any ambiguity and seemingly confirming that McCree is fully white. While many find this unsurprising, just as many are bothered by the change, with Twitter user @larsaddams joking that the hero was hit with the “caucasification beam.”
Others have focused closely on this change to McCree, with Twitter user @Matt_Apparently saying that the removal of McCree’s tan makes them feel “uncomfortable.” Several commenters agree, arguing that the skin tone changing in Animated Shorts and comic book appearances has been a consistent issue. At the same time, Twitter user @JT14576 makes the argument that this increased paleness is simply caused by the lighting, a valid argument given the white background where the redesigned heroes are shown off.
Some Overwatch players love the design, though, as those that always viewed McCree as Caucasian are indifferent to the tan’s possible removal. More focused on the improvements to the cloth on McCree’s poncho and the changes to his actual design, an equally sizable portion of the fan base views McCree’s new look as being just as good as the other Overwatch redesigns. Twitter user @HumbertSobek voices their approval of this McCree while sharing a drawing of the cowboy, with the post being liked by over 2,500 fans. With Overwatch 2's take on McCree seeming to work well for many fans, this debate is likely to continue for some time.
It remains to be seen if Blizzard addresses this issue in a future Overwatch 2 developer update or chooses to keep the redesign of McCree as is. Further, with the debate possibly being sparked by a mere trick of the light, nothing may need to be said or done about this controversial rework.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
