Delight is coming to Overwatch 2 as a part of a brand new, common in-game occasion beginning on June 1.
Each Overwatch 2 participant will obtain a free assortment of 15 Delight flag icons and 24 identify playing cards to make use of on their account profiles—a primary for not solely Overwatch, however Blizzard, too. Very similar to Overwatch’s different occasions, Delight will include an alternate model of the Midtown, New York map, set simply after a parade with flags and confetti lining the streets.
Blizzard can be dropping a canon quick story that confirms Pharah as a lesbian and Baptiste as bisexual. Followers have spent Overwatch’s six-year historical past speculating on every hero’s id, however the narrative aspect of the shooter went stagnant as work began on the sequel. With the addition of a whole bunch of recent voice traces in Overwatch 2, significantly these from the latest pansexual help character, Lifeweaver, Blizzard has began to lastly transfer the items ahead.
In a weblog submit in regards to the Delight occasion, Blizzard says it “realized how far more we are able to do in exploring our character identities and relationships,” exterior of the lately downscaled PvE aspect of the sport. “That is only the start of Delight in Overwatch 2,” it says. “Over the approaching seasons and years, we’ll have extra to share because the deeper lore of the Overwatch universe unfolds.”
Talking in a bunch interview with PC Gamer, sport director Aaron Keller described Overwatch’s earlier occasions, like Halloween Terror and Winter Wonderlands, as reflections of what occurs in the true world on the identical time. “We thought it was essential to attempt to carry this ahead for Delight as nicely so that individuals all around the globe, folks in the neighborhood, folks exterior the group, would be capable to see this celebration taking place in Overwatch as a celebration is occurring in the true world.”
Overwatch’s queer heroes hardly ever, if ever, categorical that side of their identities throughout matches. That is going to alter, in line with senior narrative designer Jen Stacy: “We will see extra of that stuff within the sport; that is essential to the narrative group.”
We’re right here to be genuine to those characters and true to them for Delight.
Senior narrative designer Jen Stacy
Characters may not announce it out loud, however their identities might be seen in some type, in line with Stacy and senior sport producer (and chair of Blizzard’s LGBTQIA+ community) Brandy Stiles.
“We have had a little bit of a shift within the group and the way we strategy illustration for queer communities and desirous to have that in sport, so it is completely essential to us,” Stacy stated. “I do not assume we would like any doubt about these heroes. We wish folks to play this character, perhaps hear a voice line the place they speak about who they’re and know who they’re. There is not any level in hiding it. It would not serve us. We’re right here to be genuine to those characters and true to them for Delight.”
Final yr, EA introduced that it would not launch The Sims 4’s My Wedding ceremony Tales enlargement, which focuses on same-sex {couples}, in Russia as a consequence of its anti-gay regulation that bans promotion of “non-traditional sexual relationships,” in media.
Blizzard stated Overwatch 2’s Delight occasion will abide by comparable legal guidelines by stopping gamers in affected areas from utilizing the cosmetics. The developer did not elaborate on how that works for gamers who would possibly journey between international locations, nor did it present a listing of the international locations the occasion might be banned from.
“I can not speak for all Blizzard,” Aaron Keller stated. “I am the sport director of Overwatch proper now. However we do attempt to comply with the legal guidelines in numerous international locations and my private worth is that it is higher to have the ability to interact the place you’ll be able to than to not be capable to interact with folks in any respect.”
Overwatch 2’s first Delight occasion begins this Thursday.
Picture 1 of 8
