It appears like Overwatch 2 is gayer than it’s ever been. First Lifeweaver was revealed because the collection’ first pansexual hero, then dialogue appeared to trace that Baptiste was additionally queer. Now, a Pleasure occasion has confirmed that Baptiste is certainly, queer, and veteran hero Pharah can also be a member of the alphabet military.
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I used to be able to be disillusioned with the sport’s Pleasure occasion as a result of it’s simple for an organization as huge as Blizzard to offer what appears like a pandering token to the queer group. However whereas I believe Overwatch 2’s Pleasure content material is missing in some methods, it appears like an earnest try to lastly acknowledge a group that has saved its heroes of their hearts for this lengthy.
What does the Overwatch 2 Pleasure occasion embody?
Overwatch 2’s Pleasure occasion begins on June 1, and consists of participant icons, profile banners, and one spray for Tracer that’s a photograph of her and her girlfriend Emily. The participant icons and identify playing cards are fairly intensive, and signify loads of folks throughout the queer spectrum, from sexual orientation to gender id. However whereas the broad strokes of illustration are good, one of many issues that stands out to me as a long-time Overwatch fan, particularly as one who bought into this recreation due to its queer heroes, is that the upcoming Pleasure occasion additionally takes time to spotlight its particular LGBTQIA+ heroes.
Alongside the final Pleasure cosmetics, every of Overwatch 2’s queer characters will get devoted identify playing cards that each broadly signify the queer group and their particular identities, as properly. This implies Tracer will get a lesbian flag banner, Soldier will get a homosexual one, Lifeweaver will get a pansexual one, and the 2 new additions to Overwatch’s queer line-up get their very own: Baptiste has a bisexual banner, and Pharah has a lesbian one.
Baptiste might not be a shock to followers who’ve been paying consideration, as his dialogue with Lifeweaver greater than implied the 2 had the hots for one another. Pharah, in the meantime, has been the topic of a core ship throughout the group between her and Assist hero Mercy, however has by no means been explicitly stated to be queer within the Overwatch universe prior to now. However now, it looks like that relationship, although maybe one-sided, has some reality to it in official recreation lore. It’s fascinating as a result of that ship has largely come from how appropriate the 2 are within the precise gameplay of Overwatch as a result of they’re each airborne heroes who complement one another properly, however I received’t complain about it leading to some specific illustration throughout the world.
Each Baptise and Pharah speak about their crushes for Mercy and Cassidy in a brand new quick story known as As You Are, which launched alongside these cosmetics at present. Even by Overwatch quick story requirements, it’s a fast learn that’s largely simply Pharah and Baptiste coping with their emotions collectively. However you already know what? That’s sufficient. I don’t want a giant motion sequence each time I get a brand new Overwatch story. We love lore that acknowledges these characters for who they’re, somewhat than current in a state of believable deniability. However that will get us to the half concerning the Pleasure occasion I hope Blizzard improves upon subsequent 12 months: the dearth of tangible permanence.
How does Overwatch 2 have fun Pleasure in-game?
Alongside the icons and identify playing cards, essentially the most substantial in-game facet of the Pleasure occasion is flags across the New York-based Midtown map. Based on Blizzard’s Aaron Keller, the thought is that earlier than the Overwatch squad rolls via, New York has simply wrapped up its personal Pleasure parade, which is why all of the decorations are nonetheless hanging up. It appears to be like enjoyable, and I already love going to Midtown due to its banger intro music, however as soon as June ends, the rainbows will disappear and the map will return to what it as soon as was. Keller additionally factors out that the Tracer and Emily picture spray will likely be a fixture throughout the Watchpoint: Gibraltar within the barracks map transferring ahead, however I can’t assist however want extra acknowledgments of the queer heroes and gamers of Overwatch would keep longer than the 30 days of June.
Midtown is simply one of many dozens of maps that gamers might very properly not see in a given play session, and even then, this can be a limited-time change. It’s nothing that may tangibly keep within the recreation when the clock strikes midnight on the finish of June the place different gamers can see it always. That is the issue queer folks take care of each time Pleasure comes round. Firms will slap a rainbow on their emblem on social media, then when July comes round, it’s all of a sudden the identical shade of grey it was in Could. Overwatch 2 is greater than prepared to fly a Pleasure flag throughout the designated month, however it’ll fold it up and throw it again into the closet after the month is over.
All of the Overwatch 2 Pleasure occasion cosmetics, from the icons and banners, are neatly tucked away in your profession profile. You’ll see Pleasure flags flying in New York Metropolis whilst you and your folks push the payload this month, however there aren’t any Pleasure-related skins for Solider: 76, Pharah, Baptiste, Lifeweaver, or Tracer to put on, no sprays for heroes aside from Tracer to throw up on the wall after pulling off a Play of the Recreation-earning sweep, and no voice strains of Soldier: 76 telling folks “transfer, I’m homosexual” as he sprints previous. That is the largest step ahead Overwatch has had all as soon as for queer illustration, however there’s solely a lot right here that may final after June and will likely be seen to all gamers.
Once I began taking part in Overwatch in 2019, it was due to Soldier: 76. Yeah, you may suppose he’s primary and boring, however he was a tortured homosexual soul in an trade the place homosexual males are seldom given the highlight until we’re an choice. However even then, I by no means thought I’d see a banner to placed on my profile that had Soldier adorned with a homosexual males’s Pleasure flag.
Activision Blizzard has been underneath a ton of strife as its staff are preventing for tangible change in its poisonous work setting, and I think about even one thing like profile icons, a limited-time map change, and a brief story fully devoted to revealing extra queer heroes was an uphill battle to implement. Blizzard devs have even said as much for the reason that occasion was unveiled. I simply hope that as this turns into a fixture in Overwatch’s annual occasion rotation, we see extra progress and extra illustration, particularly in methods that may be seen between gunfire and payload pushing.
