Blizzard to Remove "Sexy" Tracer Pose in Overwatch - Update

[Scarim Coral]

All I can think of looking at that image:

I was thinking the same thing.

OT-Homestly. I feel indifferent toward this. I guess it's maybe because I'm 50/50 at wheather to buy the game or not in the future. Even then one less pose is not a deal breaker for me.

 

[Karadalis]

I can't say that I really care one way or the other about the pose, but I do get a giggle out of people being all 'First they came for the waifus...'. Does that make me a bad person? Probably. But I'm okay with it.

I guess it's good that Blizzard listens to feedback, but I'm still bitter about the fact that they ruined the female worgen when people complained they weren't sexy enough and now they look like derphounds.

The problem is that we have seen this happening the last couple of months over and over and over again.

Pillars of eternity?

Fire emblem?

Xenogears?

Bravely default?

Street fighter?

DOAX 3?

And im sure there are a dozen more examples that have received censoresque changes because of tumblrism and SJW nonsense.

People wouldnt ***** so much if things like this wouldnt happen every other week or so because SOMEONE on the internet took "offense" and got their "feefees" hurt.

Especialy in this case its doubly insane because we have a Mother who apparantly doesnt even play the game be offended on behalf of her 8 year old daughter.

Her daughter that is 8 years old plays a violent video games where she murders 100s of other characters and yet a optional pose that shows off a characters backside is what she has a problem with.

Just food for thought: The game will most likely be rated atleast T for teen so mommy should get her account banned for letting a minor play it anyways... the only thing saving her ass is that the game aparantly hasnt received a rating yet.

So her whole argument of "wont anybody think of the children" is as misplaced here as it would be for GTA. Her kid is not suposed to play the game! She is to young for it. The game is NOT made for children under the age of 14.

Yet here we are, some pearlclutching failure of a parent once again tips the scale by being offended about her aparant lack of parential skills but would rather blame a video game company instead of taking a good look in the mirror.

And last but not least:

Its not the taking out that people have a problem with. Its the developer stating that this pearclutching nonsense was what tipped the scale into removing it. That they felt reinforced by their decision because somewhere, some mum thought that this optional pose, on this character from over a dozen or so characters was giving their aparantly easaly impressed 8 year old daughter the wrong image about women.

This contrived BS reasoning and this pandering to PC is what people REALLY take offense with. If you want to remove a pose because you think it doesnt fit the character: SAY SO!

But for the love of god do not further empower the egos of these pearl clutching, third wave feminist regressive authoritarians who want everything be custom tailored to their narrowminded puritan wordlview.

 

[Lo Flying Frying Pan]

Do I particularly care? Nope. Am I really going to play this game intensely? Probably not. But from the looks of things, this doesn't really ping my overly sensitive sensibilities. Doesn't mean at all that it can't offend somebody else I guess. I'm not in some exasperated huff over the matter, I'm just increasingly confused by the 'rules' we're adopting for the current generation. It just feels like there is an otherwise rational adult bolting a sign over the heads of every other adult that irrationally reads, "Absolutely no sexy ... not ever." I just wonder where is the enigmatic balance between capable and confident, yet a fully comfortable sexual-being, and just all out demeaning portrayal? Genuinely curious?

 

[Phasmal]

The problem is that we have seen this happening the last couple of months over and over and over again.

Pillars of eternity?

Fire emblem?

Xenogears?

Bravely default?

Street fighter?

DOAX 3?

And im sure there are a dozen more examples that have received censoresque changes because of tumblrism and SJW nonsense.

People wouldnt ***** so much if things like this wouldnt happen every other week or so because SOMEONE on the internet took "offense" and got their "feefees" hurt.

Especialy in this case its doubly insane because we have a Mother apparantly doesnt even play the game be offended on behalf of her 8 year old daughter.

Just food for thought: The game will most likely be rated atleast T for teen so mommy should get her account banned for letting a minor play it anyways... the only thing saving her ass is that the game aparantly hasnt received a rating yet.

So her whole argument of "wont anybody think of the children" is as misplaced here as it would be for GTA. Her kid is not suposed to play the game! She is to young for it. The game is NOT made for children under the age of 14.

Yet here we are, some pearlclutching failure of a parent once again tips the scale by being offended about her aparant lack of parential skills but would rather blame a video game company instead of taking a good look in the mirror.

Spoiler: Do go on...

Game companies are listening to different sections of their audience now, and things in betas get changed. You can call it SJW nonsense all you like.

I for one, am not particularly invested. If it turns out ten years down the line you can't see a butt in a videogame without being arrested, then fair enough- you guys called it. Until then, I think we're fine.

 

[Combustion Kevin]

She actually complimented other characters for using their sexuality and being sexy, so that's not her criticism.

Wait, you're losing me here, so what IS her criticism?
That it doesn't fit the character? how could it not? she's energetic and friendly, the pose conveys a playful and a bit of a flirty attitude, that fits perfectly fine.

 

[Karadalis]

The problem is that we have seen this happening the last couple of months over and over and over again.

Pillars of eternity?

Fire emblem?

Xenogears?

Bravely default?

Street fighter?

DOAX 3?

And im sure there are a dozen more examples that have received censoresque changes because of tumblrism and SJW nonsense.

People wouldnt ***** so much if things like this wouldnt happen every other week or so because SOMEONE on the internet took "offense" and got their "feefees" hurt.

Especialy in this case its doubly insane because we have a Mother apparantly doesnt even play the game be offended on behalf of her 8 year old daughter.

Just food for thought: The game will most likely be rated atleast T for teen so mommy should get her account banned for letting a minor play it anyways... the only thing saving her ass is that the game aparantly hasnt received a rating yet.

So her whole argument of "wont anybody think of the children" is as misplaced here as it would be for GTA. Her kid is not suposed to play the game! She is to young for it. The game is NOT made for children under the age of 14.

Yet here we are, some pearlclutching failure of a parent once again tips the scale by being offended about her aparant lack of parential skills but would rather blame a video game company instead of taking a good look in the mirror.

Spoiler: Do go on...

Game companies are listening to different sections of their audience now, and things in betas get changed. You can call it SJW nonsense all you like.

I for one, am not particularly invested. If it turns out ten years down the line you can't see a butt in a videogame without being arrested, then fair enough- you guys called it. Until then, I think we're fine.

Well i guess the industry should have listened to jack thompson then?

Dont see why he is wrong when these people are aparantly right.

I mean: with your argumentation it was a complete non issue back then that this nutjob tried to enforce his ideas onto videogaming... why did people fought back against him?

Oh right.. because his arguments where total bullshit!

Also they listen not to their customers but to the perpetually outraged who dont even buy or play their games. Heck the mother said so herselfe: Its not her that plays the game, its her Child... she just decided to get offended FOR her child, a child who i bet didnt give a rats ass about said pose. And if you claim that i cant proof this:

Just look at the sales numbers of those walking simulators and artsy games who are supposedly all grown up and every SJW wet dream of videogames come true. They are abysmal.

These people preach water but drink wine all the time yet companies go out of their way to listen to them. ESPECIALY blizzard who never listens to anyone and pretty much made it their business model to never listen.

 

[Phasmal]

Well i guess the industry should have listened to jack thompson then?

Dont see why he is wrong when these people are aparantly right.

I mean: Sexy pose in a game will hurt my childs view of women is the same argument as violence in a game will turn my child violent.

So we better let 4kids have a go at the game before we ship it after doing such a wonderfull job with the one piece anime.

Also they listen not to their customers but to the perpetually outraged who dont even buy or play their games. And if you claim that i cant proof this:

Just look at the sales numbers of those walking simulators and artsy games who are supposedly all grown up and every SJW wet dream of videogames come true. They are abysmal.

These people preach water but drink wine all the time yet companies go out of their way to listen to them. ESPECIALY blizzard who never listens to anyone and pretty much made it their business model to never listen.

Well, you can't prove that people who complain don't play their games.
I complain all the time, and I play mad amounts of games.

Also, I dunno what you're talking about- Blizzard never listening? In my experience they have a pretty good reputation for listening to feedback (see: ruined female worgen).

I dunno, dude, if it's that important to you, go nuts. You do you.

 

[Petter Jonsson]

"From Mei to Zarya to Widowmaker the female cast reflects a large spectrum of personalities and player fantasies."

But being sexy is apparently a personality and player fantasy that should NOT be allowed. If Overwatch is a game about diversity and colorful character traits, why shouldn't "sexy" be included in the spectrum?
With that said however, there's still plenty of overly beautiful characters in the game (Widowmakers ass is the most prominent example), so what exactly is this posters deal with Tracer's pose specifically?
I'm not as outraged by this whole chain of events as much as I'm puzzled and confused over it.

Then again, as some people already have noted in this thread; it's just a bloody victory pose that'll hardly affect Overwatch or its visual design in any significant way, and I'll still play it and (hopefully) enjoy it.

 

[Bilious Green_v1legacy]

She actually complimented other characters for using their sexuality and being sexy, so that's not her criticism.

Wait, you're losing me here, so what IS her criticism?
That it doesn't fit the character? how could it not? she's energetic and friendly, the pose conveys a playful and a bit of a flirty attitude, that fits perfectly fine.

Her criticism seems to be that (in her opinion), a sexy pose doesn't fit (her perception of) Tracer's character. Widowmaker being sexy is fine however, as she is a "femme fatale". It seems odd to me, because it implies that characters should be one dimensional, and cannot have varied and even contradictory aspects to their personality; it seems they must be their set archetype at all times, and are not allowed to deviate from it. Personally, I see no reason why Tracer cannot be playful and sassy most of the time, but a bit flirty on occasion too, and not remain a consistent character. Hell, it might even add another layer to her character beyond the cutesiness.

Honestly, I think this really all to do with the fact that Tracer is the face of Overwatch and they want her to be squeaky clean, whereas Widowmaker is a less prominent character (and a villain), so the strictness of their control over her image and presentation is less pronounced.

 

[Phasmal]

Snip

Is this that old clip of her saying "I'm not a gamer"? Because yawn. If I say "I'm not a gamer" 3 times in front of a mirror, do all my achievements disappear? I'm not taking the risk!

But as I said to the dude above, if this is really that important to you. Do yo' thing.

 

[09philj]

If Blizzard didn't want Tracer to look sexy, perhaps they shouldn't have designed her to be pretty, slender and curvaceous and then put her in spandex trousers. The pose is not inherently sexy, Tracer just happens to look good from that angle. Is Blizzard going to redesign Tracer? Thought not.

 

[Phasmal]

You said it couldn't be proven that the people making these complaints weren't customers. I provided proof of one of the loudest critics literally saying she was not a gamer, knew nothing about gamers, and had to learn about gaming. Seems to me that might be enough to convince anyone who wasn't being intellectually dishonest that maybe she isn't a game companies target audience.

Well, it's not enough, I'm afraid. Maybe that makes me an intellectually dishonest SJW-tumblrina-nonsenser. But y'know... I think I'll survive.
I'm not particularly looking to join the Church of They-Is-Coming-For-Our-Games, so don't feel the need to try and convince me. You do you.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

If Blizzard didn't want Tracer to look sexy, perhaps they shouldn't have designed her to be pretty, slender and curvaceous and then put her in spandex trousers. The pose is not inherently sexy, Tracer just happens to look good from that angle. Is Blizzard going to redesign Tracer? Thought not.

This.

Blizzard designed and modeled that ass.

They put that ass in tight fitting spandex.

These were all conscious decisions on the part of the people modeling the damned thing, but, nooooo. A backshot pose? Jesus, think of this one simpering moron's simpering moron of a child!

They may find out that butts exist and then, boom, they're off in the red light district blowing dudes and huffing paint. Please, please think of the children, Blizzard!

 

[Tsun Tzu]

Fair enough. Its not like someone on this very page listed off several games just off the top of their head that has had a group go after them and try to change them or prevent them from being released.

Again, why was Jack Thompson such a bad guy again? He wasn't trying to take away our games either, technically.

#1. You're wasting your time.

#2. Jack was a white male conservative, so he's essentially a mirror image totally different.

#3. Most of the people in here defending this kind of shit were 14 when Thompson was 'prominent.'

 

[wulf3n]

The post by Fipps is actually a good example of an alarmingly sexist trend that has been increasing as of late.

The post goes into great detail to list Tracer's positive aspects but then goes on to say the existence of one sexualised pose invalidates them all.

In a nutshell Fipps is saying that it doesn't matter what you do, or how good you are at anything else, displaying any form of sexuality reduces you to nothing more than a sex symbol! What kind of message is that?

Now I could understand the complaint if the pose was submissive in some way. That would arguably invalidate her positive traits, implying that regardless of everything else, she still submits sexually to an "authoritative" figure. But the pose linked isn't submissive.

It's tantamount to "slut shaming"

 

[Tsun Tzu]

.... I was 14 during the Thompson Crusades. Lol

We all were, man.

We all were.

 

[Wrex Brogan]

Years of the same shit and, yet, still, I'm always surprised by the depths you lot sink to.

Like I said in the topic that beat this one by a few minutes [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/663.936451-Another-sexy-pose-gets-removed-this-time-from-Overwatch#23583468], this single incident viewed separately, is no big deal.

But viewed as a whole, as part of a trend, as another drop in the ocean that is the growing tide of censorship and political correctness, it becomes a big deal. If we[footnote] the people who don't want this kind of dystopian future[/footnote] keep letting things like this pass, it'll only get worse.

Yup!

Which is why I always have to fuckin' facepalm whenever I see some moron saying, "Oh, it's just a pose, relax" or "It's just X/Y/Z, relax!" They either have no concept of a bigger picture or are willfully minimizing these sorts of events in order to make them seem more "palatable."

Update: Jeff Kaplan has clarified his earlier statement:

While I stand by my previous comment, I realize I should have been more clear. As the game director, I have final creative say over what does or does not go into the game. With this particular decision, it was an easy one to make-not just for me, but for the art team as well ... We wouldn't do anything to sacrifice our creative vision for Overwatch, and we're not going to remove something solely because someone may take issue with it.

This is not a clarification. It's damage control, pure and simple.

...so how many people in this thread are you calling morons? Or is this just a very convenient 'oh no, it's all the other people who are morons'? C'mon, let's be specific here, don't just half-ass the name calling.

And if you can see the bigger picture so clearly then... what is it? What is this grand design of PC Policing in games? Why must this be a case of obvious censorship where the devs are doing damage control over the outrage of a single person, and not them going 'hey yeah, we were getting rid of it anyway because it's out of character, just letting you know'? What will the next part of this big picture be?

C'mon. enlighten me.

 

[09philj]

The post by Fipps is actually a good example of an alarmingly sexist trend that has been increasing as of late.

The post goes into great detail to list Tracer's positive aspects but then goes on to say the existence of one sexualised post invalidates them all.

In a nutshell Fipps is saying that it doesn't matter what you do, or how good you are at anything else, displaying any form of sexuality reduces you to nothing more than a sex symbol! What kind of message is that?

Now I could understand the complaint if the pose was submissive in some way. That would arguably invalidate her positive traits, implying that regardless of everything else, she still submits sexually to an "authoritative" figure. But the pose linked isn't submissive.

It's tantamount to "slut shaming"

^This.

If you want an example of actually demeaning, creepy, and weird sexualisation, look at Bravely Default. That contains a whole section of story dedicated to the main characters trying to get one of their number into a bikini, for no good reason. Luckily they fail in this endeavour, but the other female protagonist keeps the bikini, for no good reason, and it's an optional costume.

 

[Wrex Brogan]

...so how many people in this thread are you calling morons? Or is this just a very convenient 'oh no, it's all the other people who are morons'? C'mon, let's be specific here, don't just half-ass the name calling.

And if you can see the bigger picture so clearly then... what is it? What is this grand design of PC Policing in games? Why must this be a case of obvious censorship where the devs are doing damage control over the outrage of a single person, and not them going 'hey yeah, we were getting rid of it anyway because it's out of character, just letting you know'? What will the next part of this big picture be?

C'mon. enlighten me.

Ooh, I like ya! You've got spunk!

I'll half-ass whatever I want and am not particularly interested in racking up warnings just to validate you.

As for your oh, so very pointed questions? You've made your opinion on the matter clear in an earlier post, so... naaaah, I'll pass. Repeating the usual song and dance isn't worth my time. Just treat this like a win, bud. You've earned it.

Cheers, Love. ;D

C'mon, I just wanted to know all about your impressive grand vision, that all us terrible plebs don't seem to possess. You can't squander that gift pissing it about in some echo-chamber! Give it to the people, we want to know!

But, if your clairvoyant abilities make you think I'm coming at you for some pithy 'win'... maybe they're not so great. I just want someone playing the 'It's a grand design of censorship! Everything adds up!' card to stick to their fuckin' guns when challenged and actually explain their position, not wuss out because I come at 'em a little hard. C'mon, stand up for your beliefs, fight for 'em on an internet forum! That's the whole point of posting shit on a forum in the first place, right?

Or, you know, throw me on ignore and make more assumptions about me. Whatever pleases you, really.

 

[MeatMachine]

I'll readily admit that the proclivity of overt sexual emphasis of female characters in video games is really tiresome to me, equally because it feels like condescending pandering and a complete stonewall against original female character design that I'd actually be eager to see.

Still, the tripe cries of "offensive! sexist!" is so groan-inducingly over-reactive it makes me think that people have internalized the fact that becoming histrionic on demand gives them the power to change menial things. As much as I'd like to see a larger overall divorce from sexual female characters, I don't thing that their mere existence should be THIS offensive to anyone's reasonable sensibilities and worthy of change due solely to outrageous backlash.

Besides, a spandex buttcrack? Give me a break - at least the Dragon's Crown Sorceress is a reasonable controversy.

Spoiler

...How the bloody hell is this a controversy? One person said that they didn't like it, that's it. The controversy isn't about the pose, it's about the pose being taken out.

Did I jump the gun by assuming any significant number of people whined and bitched about it, or was it really only 1 forum poster and maybe a handful of airheads agreeing with her? If I was presumptuous, forgive me - I REALLY didn't anticipate Blizzard caving to the unreasonable dumbassery of single-digit protests.