Overwatch team gives update on Jesse McCree name change
The Overwatch community has been anxiously awaiting Jesse McCree’s name change.
After Blizzard was
sued for gender discrimination, it came to light that an employee named Jesse McCree hung out at the now-infamous Cosby Suite, a hotel room with a poster of accused rapist Bill Cosby on the wall that was an alleged staging ground for sexual harassment by Blizzard employees. In response, the Overwatch team informed fans that it would be changing McCree’s name and would never name a character after a real person or thing in the future.
The response to the decision was mixed, with many labeling it as an insignificant gesture made to avoid any actual change in the company’s culture. Others felt it was a step in the right direction and a necessary change.
It left Overwatch players wondering, however, when the change would finally happen.
When wil McCree’s name be changed?
At the moment, Blizzard has no estimated release date for when McCree’s name change will arrive in Overwatch.
An Overwatch fan took to
Reddit
earlier this week to question what was going on with the cowboy’s name change. To everyone’s surprise, a Blizzard staffer shared a very detailed response.
They noted that the hero name change is a “pretty complicated project” since there were voice lines, localization, UI/UX elements, art assets, and publishing aspects that had to be corrected. Because of this, the Overwatch team had no estimated time of arrival for the cowboy’s new name.
“However,” they said, “I can assure you that work is underway on this task.”
The Overwatch team member explained that the name change was made very deliberately, involving conversations and feedback from an abundance of teams and developers working on the game. The employee stated that it’s been a “challenging issue” but game director Aaron Keller and other leads have provided enough “leadership and consideration” to provide the support needed.
It remains unclear what the McCree name change will entail for players. It’s possible that voice lines and references to the character will simply have the names changed, but it’s hypothetically possible that the change could bring a completely different character or could be done with an event.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
View full profile
Read Also
Overwatch
San Francisco Shock set to leave Overwatch esports
Olivia Richman
The San Francisco Shock Overwatch team was not selected for partnership, leading to the company's exit from the scene. When Activision ended the Overwatch League, the hero shooter struggled to find its place in esports. The OWCS promised to be the next iteration of Overwatch's esports scene but it's already making unpopular decisions with fans. Some fans also feel the game doesn't lend itself to a competitive viewership. In comparison ...
Overwatch
Numbers show Marvel Rivals may have finally killed Overwatch 2
Steven Rondina
Judging by player counts, Overwatch 2 might finally be dying and it’s Marvel Rivals that killed it. The hero shooter genre is an immensely crowded one. In this era of publishers releasing live-service multiplayer games first and asking questions later, there’s a mass grave of abandoned games that just keeps getting more crowded. Overwatch 2, despite being a constant source of controversy and frustration, has been a constant among first-person ...
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 x Warcraft collab skins for WoW 20th Anniversary
Syed Mujtaba Naqvi
Blizzard Entertainment has unveiled a highly anticipated collaboration between Overwatch 2 and World of Warcraft, in celebration of WoW’s 20th anniversary. Overwatch 2 x Warcraft event will introduce four new skins to Overwatch 2, each based on iconic Warcraft characters. Players can unlock these exclusive cosmetics when the event kicks off on September 17, 2024. This isn’t the first time Overwatch 2 has crossed over with another franchise, but the ...
Overwatch
LE SSERAFIM skins make a comeback in Overwatch 2
Syed Mujtaba Naqvi
To celebrate LE SSERAFIM's music video milestone, Overwatch 2 has brought back the popular crossover skins. The LE SSERAFIM skins commemorate the LE SSERAFIM's "Perfect Night" video, nearing 100 million views on Youtube. The LE SSERAFIM skins were first released on November 2, 2023, as part of Overwatch 2's initial K-pop crossover event. This event featured a special performance at BlizzCon 2023 and introduced the Concert Clash game mode. Furthermore, ...
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 dev blog confirms the return of 6v6 format
William Davis
Overwatch 2 is essentially a replica of its predecessor, except for the absence of the 6v6 format. However, it seems Blizzard may bring that back as well. In a lengthy Overwatch 2 dev blog post, Aron Keller has explained why the developer decided to remove 5v5 in the first place. While the removal was initially met with criticism, new players have adjusted to the format update. Seasoned Overwatch 2 players, ...
Overwatch
All we know about Juno, Overwatch 2’s upcoming support hero
Fariha Bhatti
The latest Overwatch 2 hero Juno is a happy-go-lucky space ranger from Mars who doesn't mind sharing her agility and abilities with her teammates. Earlier teased by Blizzard as a highly mobile "space ranger" with quite a bit of vertical mobility, Juno has finally been revealed. The latest support hero has deep roots in the game's lore, as players suspect she may be tied to Jiaya, a scientist and Mei's ...
Overwatch
Massive tank changes coming to Overwatch 2
Olivia Richman
Tanks are going to see some big changes in Overwatch 2 very soon. In a recent Director's Take, Blizzard discussed upcoming hero balances, focused on some game changing updates to tank heroes. This is due to developers seeing a lot of Overwatch 2 players discussing issues with the tank role. Ever since Season 8 ended, the tank role has been in a "tough spot." The largest complaint is that tanks ...
