No matter how Overwatch gamers would possibly at present really feel about adjustments to heroes like Mercy, Symmetra, and Orisa in Overwatch 2’s ongoing beta, you must respect one in all Blizzard’s reworks: the benches within the recreation’s New York Metropolis-inspired map.
The benches that gamers cross by in Overwatch 2’s model of Grand Central Terminal are slightly easy set dressing, however they’ve been altered because the recreation’s unique beta, primarily based on participant suggestions. These benches at the moment are an indicator the hopeful way forward for the Overwatch fiction, based on the sport’s narrative designer.
Earlier this month, Overwatch fan ClearTogether pointed out the problem with the game’s New York benches, as seen in a earlier beta model of Overwatch 2, which mimic a method of hostile structure designed to discourage and prohibit homeless individuals from sleeping on them.
been serious about this because the beta so I am simply going to say it since nobody else has…
The anti-homeless structure of the benches in Midtown makes me tremendous bummed. Benches like this are designed particularly to make homeless depressing. pic.twitter.com/jXyddzRgyR
— ClearTogether ️ (@ClearTogether) June 6, 2022
(Whereas some of these benches are widespread in New York Metropolis subway stations, many of the bench seating on the real-world Grand Central in Manhattan have been eliminated.)
However as ClearTogether famous in a tweet on Wednesday, these benches have since been up to date for Overwatch 2’s present beta. Blizzard clearly took word of the criticism and responded. “This was nice suggestions,” said Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie, lead narrative designer and author for Overwatch, in a response to ClearTogether on Twitter.
Jurgens-Fyhrie added that the narrative staff for Overwatch “determined early on within the map story growth that Overwatch’s NY provides free, protected housing for individuals. A few of that is within the map VO, with additional particulars deliberate for later.”
“‘How we hope the world shall be’ is an enormous a part of our story dev,” Jurgens-Fyhrie mentioned.
Blizzard has made changes to Overwatch like this earlier than, together with previous to the discharge of the unique recreation, when it adjusted a sexualized pose for the hero Tracer. The developer has additionally modified in-game content material for extra grave causes, together with eradicating the names of real-world Blizzard staff referenced within the recreation and pulling a personality pores and skin impressed by knowledgeable Overwatch League participant who was accused of sexual misconduct.
Overwatch 2 shall be launched in October as an replace to the unique Overwatch, and shall be free to play.
