Overwatch Christmas Comic Reveals First LGBT Character

[MerlinCross]

And as much as people like to talk about people pushing quotas, I honestly feel like the opposite is the problem. You can't have your cast be TOO diverse. You can't include too many nationalities, people of different body types, age groups, sexual minorities, otherwise you get called out for pandering. (Because what you should've been doing is pandering to the same groups that always gets bloody pandered to apparently.)

Actually I question how you can have different age groups and body types, depending on on the game. For example, if the design isn't taken into account, the hit boxes would be pretty weird. I mean what if everyone had Reapers hitbox including Zyar and Bastion? And it depends on the tone of the game; I can see a rocket powered wheelchair riding grandma/pa in a game like Overwatch but not in CoD(it would be funny though). The more "realistic" the game, the smaller the design space is(Middle aged, fit adults running driving, fighting, etc) unless you think/design differently. Go sillier like Overwatch, League, TF2, and more and you can get away with more ideas.

Granted this is more about small selection of game types l. And it still doesn't excuse mintorties, LGBT, and other representation in games.

 

[Chareater]

Well they flat out said that one of their characters was LGBT some time ago. So I'm going to take a wild stab and say that she was always gay, or at the very least they took a lot of time to plan it out. The same way they planed out Ana coming back into Pharah's life and Pharah being glad to see her, despite the initial take on the lore being that Pharah was very mad at her mom.

And as much as people like to talk about people pushing quotas, I honestly feel like the opposite is the problem. You can't have your cast be TOO diverse. You can't include too many nationalities, people of different body types, age groups, sexual minorities, otherwise you get called out for pandering. (Because what you should've been doing is pandering to the same groups that always gets bloody pandered to apparently.)

Ah I didn't know they had planned to add a LGBT character for a while, if she was always planned to be gay then i'm not as bothered by it.

But I still feel if you make a game with too many diverse characters it makes the characters feel less real and more like they are there just to pander.

Yahtzee sums it up pretty well...

https://youtu.be/fc0u1-Liamk?t=4m53s

 

[Erttheking]

Well they flat out said that one of their characters was LGBT some time ago. So I'm going to take a wild stab and say that she was always gay, or at the very least they took a lot of time to plan it out. The same way they planed out Ana coming back into Pharah's life and Pharah being glad to see her, despite the initial take on the lore being that Pharah was very mad at her mom.

And as much as people like to talk about people pushing quotas, I honestly feel like the opposite is the problem. You can't have your cast be TOO diverse. You can't include too many nationalities, people of different body types, age groups, sexual minorities, otherwise you get called out for pandering. (Because what you should've been doing is pandering to the same groups that always gets bloody pandered to apparently.)

Ah I didn't know they had planned to add a LGBT character for a while, if she was always planned to be gay then i'm not as bothered by it.

But I still feel if you make a game with too many diverse characters it makes the characters feel less real and more like they are there just to pander.

Yahtzee sums it up pretty well...

https://youtu.be/fc0u1-Liamk?t=4m53s

As opposed to having countless heterosexual white men? I remember when gaming was stuck in that rut and how people defended it to the death whenever someone who wanted to see a bit more variety spoke up. Now we're out of that rut and I'm in no hurry to get back into it because of some arbitrary diversity limit.

 

[maninahat]

The really funny thing?

Jonathan "full" Mcintosh and Briana Wu are bitching about tracer being a "attractive" lesbian... because male gaze... and reasons.

You cant make this shit up... aparantly gay characters arent allowed to be attractive. Homophobic much?

One can never please SJW. They will ALLWAYS find some way to ***** about things.

Its not the right gay character.. why is it a lesbian? Why not some of the guys? Why not have a trans woman/man in your lineup? Why not a space firefox from the forestplanet?

It raises a fair point about lesbian depictions. There are exactly two kinds of lesbian shown in the majority of mainstream fiction; sexy hot lipstick lesbian or dumpy, screeching feminazi. It is fair to point out that Tracer (already acknowledged to be a male gaze barbie doll figure) locks lips with another stereotypically gorgeous woman. A lot of other Overwatch characters aren't exactly pretty, but fans would feel too "uncomfortable" with seeing those guys make out, or Tracer having anything less than a conventionally attractive girlfriend, so they went with the visually appealing option instead - that is to say, some progress is better than no progress, but like a lot of SJW types, I am able to admire the positives of something whilst criticising the negative. It's nice to have more lesbians, but less nice if most of those lesbians are there for the sake of - hurdur dats hot!! - viewing.

 

[wulf3n]

[reads article]

Cool, i guess.

[reads comments]

Why are there more comments about the "outrage" than comments that are the "outrage"?

 

[Phasmal]

But I still feel if you make a game with too many diverse characters it makes the characters feel less real and more like they are there just to pander

Honestly, that's entirely subjective. Of course a generation raised on cartoons and tv shows with a cast of four straight white dudes and one straight white girl (or two, if one is feminine and one is masculine) would find diversity "unrealistic". They don't know better.

It's like spicy food. If you ate spicy food all the time it wouldn't be spicy, but if you grew up eating mayonnaise on white bread anything is spicy. Ya know?

Make diverse media. People will adapt. Just like they adapted to black people on tv who weren't servants. And women on TV who weren't solely love interests.

Yeah, this is a pretty good way of saying it.

"Too many diverse characters" wtf. Non-straight people and non-white people and non-male people exist in large numbers in real life, how can you have "too many" of them??

Unless I need to call up a few of my friends and tell them we can't be friends any more because I already have one [insert characteristic here] friend and having two is unrealistic.

 

[elvor0]

Yeah I'm happy there's more representation for them in Overwatch thanks to Tracer now but it still feels off to me thanks to AAA devs loving to focus test everything these days. Was it good for Tracer's story and background

What's your actual point here? We can only have gay characters if being gay is an obstacle and significant part of their background story? Why?

Unless you're writing a story about being gay or has a setting that would cause problems by being gay, how would anyones sexuality be good /or/ bad for their story and background? It's just her sexuality, people aren't defined by their sexuality.

I mean Tracers home life was the least interesting aspect of that comic. Who was Phara with? Who is the family Reaper is watching over? Who is in the picture Dad76 is looking at? Is Widowmaker recovering her lost memories when visiting that grave, or is she trapped within her own body when Talon require her? Why are McCree and Sombra in the same bar? Where can I see more of Torbs chubby Squirrel Cat?

 

[Chareater]

But I still feel if you make a game with too many diverse characters it makes the characters feel less real and more like they are there just to pander

Honestly, that's entirely subjective. Of course a generation raised on cartoons and tv shows with a cast of four straight white dudes and one straight white girl (or two, if one is feminine and one is masculine) would find diversity "unrealistic". They don't know better.

It's like spicy food. If you ate spicy food all the time it wouldn't be spicy, but if you grew up eating mayonnaise on white bread anything is spicy. Ya know?

Make diverse media. People will adapt. Just like they adapted to black people on tv who weren't servants. And women on TV who weren't solely love interests.

Good point.

 

[MerlinCross]

Yeah I'm happy there's more representation for them in Overwatch thanks to Tracer now but it still feels off to me thanks to AAA devs loving to focus test everything these days. Was it good for Tracer's story and background

What's your actual point here? We can only have gay characters if being gay is an obstacle and significant part of their background story? Why?

Unless you're writing a story about being gay or has a setting that would cause problems by being gay, how would anyones sexuality be good /or/ bad for their story and background? It's just her sexuality, people aren't defined by their sexuality.

I mean Tracers home life was the least interesting aspect of that comic. Who was Phara with? Who is the family Reaper is watching over? Who is in the picture Dad76 is looking at? Is Widowmaker recovering her lost memories when visiting that grave, or is she trapped within her own body when Talon require her? Why are McCree and Sombra in the same bar? Where can I see more of Torbs chubby Squirrel Cat?

Actually all those things you have asked will build upon the complaint I have.

Congrats Blizzard, you showed off a pretty nice comic that was nice for the holidays, revealed who was LGBT, and have left us with some questions about the characters. Care to build off that?

Tracer is Lesbian, but if they basically drop her girlfriend of the face of the earth, the point of showing that? If we never see who Phara was with, why show it in the first place? Widowmaker at the grave, is that gonna be expanded on? Was the McCree and Sombra thing just something they did on a whim or is it something more? The point of showing the big family of either Torbiorn or Reinhardt?

You're right characters are more than just their Sexuality. But anything big for the character you don't just toss away. Unless it's like a character saying "I like Blue" or something. I'd like to see more with Tracer and her girlfriend, doesn't have to be big. As I said either here or elsewhere, even a pose of her looking at a picture would be nice enough in game. I'd also love to find out more about Reinhardt and Torbjorn as well(Who's family is that) and could said family show up more in the future. Maybe in a Torbjorn short there'll be a picture frame with his family? Or maybe a spray for Reinhardt with a story book, that'd be cool. Do Mcree and Sombra have history back in Overwatch and they remain friends? Extra lines for them in game.

So to me all of the Christmas panels are either hints at what they might or might not do for fans, or just fluff that's never going to be touched on again. And if it's the fluff, to me I question why any of that is good for any character, outside of giving fanfics and artists more material to work with. Some fluff is fine yes, but I'd like to see more. Especially the Widowmaker and Reaper scenes. Before I was thinking about just Tracer but the majority now I want to see more about and maybe referenced in game. Because in game they are still killing clones of each other over a payload. The disconnect between Story and Game is real.

Oh and because I didn't mention them, Junkrat and Roadhog. Yes that's probably something they would do for the Holidays, joyriding/stealing cars, but really that's what you guys came up with? Everyone else gets something and those two are just pulling a Duke brothers? Again in character but wanted something more. I also have no idea what's up with Hanzo. Best I could come up with is that he's going to buy the cake for the kid next to him. Could have shown that off better or done something else.

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

Oh btw... the comic is blocked in russia because of anti gay laws... yayyyy

The same country that GamerGate assures us is "based" and is going to win the cultural war against SJW controlled America.

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

One can never please SJW. They will ALLWAYS find some way to ***** about things.

That's common knowledge. It's never been about improving the world - its only ever been about controlling other people through guilt, self-imposed victim status, and whining to authority figures to destroy the people they don't like on their behalf.

They learned from the best, what can I say.

I'll leave you to guess who I'm talking about with "The best".

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

Fear Effect would like to have a word with you:

Beat me to it.

Didn't the moral guardians and Gatekeepers cry foul at Hannah/Rain also? (game wasn't as good as FE1 though..._

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

One can never please SJW. They will ALLWAYS find some way to ***** about things.

That's common knowledge. It's never been about improving the world - its only ever been about controlling other people through guilt, self-imposed victim status, and whining to authority figures to destroy the people they don't like on their behalf.

That's the single best description of "progressives" I've ever read"

Then we're truly screwed, because traditionalists are no better.

 

[Headsprouter]

*poke*

You misspelled Zarya twice, m8.

Sure that's an off-topic thing to point out, but imo there's not much to talk about when it comes to Tracer being gay, it's just kind of a shrug thing for me because I'm toootally progressive and stuff.

 

[MerlinCross]

Oh btw... the comic is blocked in russia because of anti gay laws... yayyyy

The same country that GamerGate assures us is "based" and is going to win the cultural war against SJW controlled America.

We must travel in different GG circles. I'm not saying it didn't happen(Because god damn there's stupid people) I just don't think it's as wide spread as this seems to point it. Mind you, I've been away from anything GG related besides here, KYM and a few artists that might be "GG". So my experience is limited. It does suck though and this is something we should be mad and fight about.

Side note, is Russia the only country/nation that blocked it? I know of some other areas that might pull a stunt like that.

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

Oh btw... the comic is blocked in russia because of anti gay laws... yayyyy

The same country that GamerGate assures us is "based" and is going to win the cultural war against SJW controlled America.

We must travel in different GG circles. I'm not saying it didn't happen(Because god damn there's stupid people) I just don't think it's as wide spread as this seems to point it. Mind you, I've been away from anything GG related besides here, KYM and a few artists that might be "GG". So my experience is limited. It does suck though and this is something we should be mad and fight about.

Side note, is Russia the only country/nation that blocked it? I know of some other areas that might pull a stunt like that.

Go to the chans, you'll see what I mean.

 

[MerlinCross]

Oh btw... the comic is blocked in russia because of anti gay laws... yayyyy

The same country that GamerGate assures us is "based" and is going to win the cultural war against SJW controlled America.

We must travel in different GG circles. I'm not saying it didn't happen(Because god damn there's stupid people) I just don't think it's as wide spread as this seems to point it. Mind you, I've been away from anything GG related besides here, KYM and a few artists that might be "GG". So my experience is limited. It does suck though and this is something we should be mad and fight about.

Side note, is Russia the only country/nation that blocked it? I know of some other areas that might pull a stunt like that.

Go to the chans, you'll see what I mean.

Last I heard of the chans they've devolved back into the weird in fighting, clicks, and groups that 4chan had. And if it is the Chans, difference between being an ass and being an ass that believes in what they say. A very small difference on the Chans but it's been there since 4chan started.

But this is getting away from the topic. I brought up maybe a Taunt or spray or something that references Tracer's girlfriend(Also would have liked to see it if she was dating a frog. NO not Lucio). I wonder if such a thing were to come out would Russia block the game entirely? Or just force a change for the region.

 

[Smithnikov_v1legacy]

Last I heard of the chans they've devolved back into the weird in fighting, clicks, and groups that 4chan had. And if it is the Chans, difference between being an ass and being an ass that believes in what they say. A very small difference on the Chans but it's been there since 4chan started.

This isn't 4chan I'm talking about. Half-chan or Cuck-chan as they now call it fell away years ago. It's all about 8chan now.

 

[Zhukov]

*Everyone talking about how lesbians are safe*

Yeah, right.

They kind of are.

Safer at least.

If you're dealing with a largely male audience then going the lesbian route lets you do The Gay while also not grossing out the lads too much. Some will thinks it's hot or cute and others won't care.

Of course some people will still be pissed off because they're just that angered by gays or they're religious or they're mad that someone soiled their waifu or any number of other equally silly reasons. And of course you'll have these fine folks [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C0JWiL1UcAAH4kW.jpg].

A portion of the anger is caused by people who aren't particularly upset by the presence of fictional cartoon lesbians but are upset by the thought that those fictional cartoon lesbians might well have been created for somebody else's enjoyment. If this had happened five years ago and Blizzard had been all, "Hey guys, check out this hot girl-on-girl" then many of them would have cheered or merely been indifferent. (It would have been "the other side" complaining, "Lesbians aren't just for you to jerk off to" etc etc.) But now that the OMGSJWsEverywhere moral panic is a thing this is seen as pandering (to somebody else) and is therefor terrible.

If it's any consolation, the angry people seem to be a noisy minority. At least going by the totally scientific metric of upvotes and downvotes on the Blizzard forums. Anyone whining about SJWs or trying to pull some kind of no-really-they're-probably-just-friends-British-flatmates-totally-kiss-on-the-lips-all-the-time denial was getting downvoted into oblivion.

Was going to a thread on this topic a while ago but decided against it because it would have inevitably turned into a shitshow.