The latest controversy to hit the video gaming world is found inside Overwatch, Blizzard’s latest game that is a cross between first-person-shooter (FPS) and a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). The controversy in question is about a certain pose wherein one character, more specifically that of Tracer, has a very butt-centric victory pose. The pose’s name is called “over the shoulder” and a fan complaint has led to the game’s director to remove it.
Victory Pose From Overwatch Removed After Complaint
Overwatch just had its closed beta returned earlier this year, and with the return comes more skins, emotes, and poses for the characters. One fast-talking (but faster time-walking) heroine has recently come under fire because of a certain pose that showed off her behind. The victory pose, called over the shoulder, shows off the character’s shapely derriere. Just recently, said pose has then become a spark, or rather more of a lightning rod of controversy.
The controversy started by one argument from a player that goes by the name of Fipps. He placed his disdain over the pose in the Overwatch forums, and part of what his lengthy post is as follows: “What about this pose has anything to do with the character you’re building in Tracer? It’s not fun, it’s not silly, it has nothing to do with being a fast elite killer. It just reduces tracer to another bland female sex symbol.” The player continued on as he stated, “I have a young daughter that everyday when I wake up wants to watch the recall trailer again. She knows who tracer is, and as she grows up, she can grow up alongside these characters. What I’m asking is that as you continue to add to the overwatch cast and investment elements, you double down on your commitment to create strong female characters. You’ve been doing a good job so far, but shipping with a tracer pose like this undermines so much of the good you’ve already done.”
After that initial statement, the post then exploded into arguments that are divided between factions of for and against Tracer’s pose. There are even portions of the argument that would go as far as to question Blizzard’s art direction.
However, despite some fans who want to retain the Overwatch pose, the game’s director, Jeff Kaplan, found himself agreeing with the topic starter. Therefore, he then wrote in a recent post that they will replace the pose. The game director even stated, “We want *everyone* to feel strong and heroic in our community. The last thing we want to do is make someone feel uncomfortable, under-apperciated, or misrepresented. Apologies and we’ll continue to try to do better.”