Overwatch fans have had plenty to talk about as of late, with Blizzard releasing new looks at gameplay and fresh details about the hero reworks coming in the sequel. However, Jesse McCree needed a different kind of change, as the character was named after a developer involved in the Activision Blizzard controversy. With the real-life inspiration for McCree outed for doing awful things, and the community disgusted by a fan favorite character being used to honor him, a name change was necessary.
As the days passed since the name change was announced, Blizzard told Overwatch fans that it was taking its time with the name change so that everything could be handled respectfully. Eventually, the developer revealed this new name, with players now knowing that Jesse McCree will be called Cole Cassidy going forward. All voice lines mentioning McCree will be removed or reworked to feature the Cassidy name, as will the in-game text. It did not take long for players to recognize the inspiration for this new name, however, and the homage to Butch Cassidy makes sense given McCree’s character.
The Similarities Between Butch and Cole Cassidy
While Cole Cassidy is obviously a fictional character, Butch Cassidy was very real. An outlaw that was active during the late 1800s, Butch Cassidy was a notorious train and bank robber. He ran with a group called the Wild Bunch, with his most famous partner being the Sundance Kid. Overwatch fans should instantly notice some similarities here, as McCree ran with the Deadlock gang in his younger years, committing plenty of robberies of his own.
Another bit of shared history between the two is that they used a fake name. In the case of Butch Cassidy, the name he is famous for was actually fake, with his birth name being Robert LeRoy Parker. While he grew up on ranches and worked as a farmhand (another similarity to McCree), he was also an apprentice at a butcher shop. This is where he got the nickname “butch,” with the Cassidy surname being pulled from a mentor and cattle thief named Mike Cassidy.
In the case of McCree, the situation is reversed. Blizzard’s explanation for the name change in Overwatch’s lore is that Cassidy was the character’s original name, with the McCree alias being used during his time as a criminal. With Overwatch reforming in the sequel, and McCree set to work with his former allies again, he wants to be an honest man this time around. This means dropping his fake name and using his real one, with Cole Cassidy stepping forward and acknowledging his past.
One more similarity between Cole and Butch Cassidy is that both can be considered “good” outlaws. While there are plenty of legendary criminals with large body counts that Blizzard could have used as inspiration for the hero’s new name, it chose the one that avoided killing at all costs. While there were occasional deaths during Butch Cassidy’s robberies, the killing was carried out by other members of the Wild Bunch. Butch himself always avoided killing, preaching to his fellow thieves that violence was unnecessary. As many McCree fans will know, he has remained a good person despite doing some unlawful things.
Clearly, there was some thought put into this name change, as Blizzard took inspiration from a historical figure that is very much like McCree. While many will struggle to get used to calling the hero Cassidy, as McCree callouts could be a habit that sticks for many players, this change does suit his story well. Fans will also have plenty of time to get used to the name before Overwatch 2 releases, as the change goes live on October 26.
Overwatch is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
