Tracer from Overwatch Confirmed as a Lesbian.

[Erttheking]

Hell, plenty of people in this thread care. We think it's a good direction for the game.

As a True Gamer Extraordinaire I can't even fathom this perspective. How can something that doesn't have anything to do with the game be a good direction for the game? This is the sort of thrash I'd expect in the back of a cereal package - that just screams skewed priorities to me. However, I'm pretty confident Blizzard knows how to keep the supplementary shit separate from the gameplay crap. Just... blows my mind every time.

Tracer has, for lack of a better word, become iconic. Hell, I'd ever say that she's the face of Overwatch. And for all it's focus on nonsensical people killing three clones of themselves, this IS a character based shooter, much like TF2. And like TF2, those characters are the main draw for a vast number of people. As a result, people care about the characters and want to know more about them.

But I'm probably not going to change your mind on this, so what the hoo-ha.

 

[nomotog_v1legacy]

maybe I missed something but could Tracer always remove the chest piece? Wasn't that the only thing keeping her from pashing out of time and reality?

That is the real shake up for the shippers and porn artists. It totally changes the game.

 

[Skatalite]

I don't really get people being either mad or happy about this... It doesn't affect anything.

 

[go-10]

maybe I missed something but could Tracer always remove the chest piece? Wasn't that the only thing keeping her from pashing out of time and reality?

As per Blizzard, it's hanging out on the floor.

Technically, it just has to be nearby. She wears it on her chest in combat because she zips around like a caffeinated ferret.

oh, so it's more of a signal she receives from it rather than a machine she has to wear... wait no. At the end of the comic we see her at Winston's place and the chest piece is nowhere in sight. Is it a christmas miracle or is Emily charged with the same energy as she seems to be the only thing that appears both times she takes it off.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

maybe I missed something but could Tracer always remove the chest piece? Wasn't that the only thing keeping her from pashing out of time and reality?

As per Blizzard, it's hanging out on the floor.

Technically, it just has to be nearby. She wears it on her chest in combat because she zips around like a caffeinated ferret.

oh, so it's more of a signal she receives from it rather than a machine she has to wear... wait no. At the end of the comic we see her at Winston's place and the chest piece is nowhere in sight. Is it a christmas miracle or is Emily charged with the same energy as she seems to be the only thing that appears both times she takes it off.

Orb-y thing by the tree.

 

[go-10]

Orb-y thing by the tree.

in their apartment yes I see it being charged. But what about at Winston's place?
How did she get there without it?

 

[EternallyBored]

Then the game itself doesn't change the comic, so for someone more interested in the characters than the gameplay, then the game is itself just "neat I guess". The ancillary comics aren't really any more or less pointless than the game itself.

Yes, that one. That's the point I was getting at. For me shooters are fun for a short time (in my case a round or two) then dropped and forgotten. Like their stories. Like vs. fighters. And it matters as much to me as much as someone's preference. Very little to none.

Your personal preference is fine, if it doesn't matter to you that's a-ok, I've had games where I didn't give one shit about the story and just picked it up for the gameplay, or vice versa, I haven't played TF2 in 3 years, but I still watch all of Valve's short films when they are released as I like the characters.

I was mainly answering your question of "who gives a shit?" which turns out, quite a lot of people give a shit. You build a game with characters as popular as the ones in Overwatch, and it turns out people want to see and know more about those characters. If you don't care, then you've still got a pretty solid online shooter to entertain you, if you do care, then you've got ancillary materials to help enhance your enjoyment of said online shooter.

 

[DoPo]

Sheesh, imagine if people realised that, say, the ranger from Path of Exile was a lesbian. I wonder what would happen then.

...actually, as far as I know nothing much happened. I'm not entirely sure why this requires that much publicity and apparently outrage.

I'm guessing that's because no one really knows who "the ranger from path of exile" is, and they consequently don't give a shit. Tracer is million peoples' waifu.

The playerbase of Path of Exile is between hundreds of thousands and millions [footnote]they've registrations in the single digit millions, apparently, but most likely that doesn't corresponds to that many players[/footnote] and pretty much everybody who has played the game would have seen the ranger - she's one of the playable characters. So no, it's not really "no one". With that said, it was just an example - could be any other character.

It's the difference between "Insert super famous and recogniseable hollywood starlet from this year's runaway blockbuster movie here" and "insert actor for that minor character from that TV show you half remember from last year" is gay.

Right. That doesn't explain the need for a bigger publicity and apparent outrage. Yes, somebody is gay - tell me, does that really justify two separate threads and an entire news article on this website? At the time or writing this There almost a hundred comments in this thread and even more across the other two. This alone is a bigger deal than a bunch of studios being closed after the employees hadn't been paid for months. Again, just an example - I picked a different recent news article.

So, to recap - a character is gay in Overwatch and that's apparently A. Big. Deal., however, characters in other games don't deserve any outrage or any mention. It's also more important than something that has real-world consequences to hundreds of people and a ripple effect through the gaming industry as a whole.

This isn't a "who gives a shit" post. It's a "why do people flip their shit over this" post.

 

[RJ 17]

Orb-y thing by the tree.

in their apartment yes I see it being charged. But what about at Winston's place?
How did she get there without it?

It's a Christmas miracle. :3

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

SNIP

Exactly. As far as I can tell, the girlfriend isn't going to be a new character, so the game itself hasn't changed in the slightest.

 

[CritialGaming]

Why did there need to be two threads about this?

Is fictional fucking that big of a deal to people?

 

[happyninja42]

This isn't a "who gives a shit" post. It's a "why do people flip their shit over this" post.

I think there is some valid shit flipping (the good kind of shit flipping, namely stuff like "Yay!") for the LGBT community, to be able to see a prominent character that represents them to some degree. Which I can understand, people like to have someone similar to them to root for in stories. I know personally, if a character happens to have my name, which is rare in entertainment, I automatically empathize with him more, and want him to succeed and thrive. So I can appreciate the "I can root for a lesbian just like me!" kind of human reaction to similarity.

Beyond that though, I don't really care. Whatever her orientation is, is irrelevant to me personally. I don't care if she is gay, or bi, or straight. It's a fictional character, and her "official" orientation isn't going to impact anything at all, certainly not all the porn that is already out there, including her with everyone under the sun. They didn't care before, they sure won't care now, and will continue to have her pounded by whatever fetish they are indulging.

The comics can do whatever they want, as it's apparently independent from the game in every way that matters. So, yeah this reveal doesn't impact that game, doesn't really impact anything, other than to provide a demographic a character that is someone they can "officially" root for as being representative of them. And that's fine in my book.

I stand by my statement of "If race/gender/sexuality/orientation don't matter, then it doesn't matter, and I don't really care what she is. As to why I don't care, see the first sentence of this statement." Whether she likes the cock, or enjoys muff diving with the best of them, she's still a fun, energetic, cheerful, optimistic character, who brings a lot of energy and life to the pop culture aspect of the game. What she does in her off-time, and to whom, doesn't make one whit of difference to me. It doesn't make her line in that one movie when she's helping the boys in the museum "Don't worry luv, cavalry's here!" Any less fun and enjoyable for me. It doesn't make her grief over the assassination of that robot Ghandi by Widowmaker any less tragic. It just means that she's not into the cock. Whoopty do.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

SNIP

Yesterdays mildly succesful game vs todays everyone loses their shit over it game. No one doesn't mean literally no one. You know that.

SNIP

Have you ever met a human? Or been online before?

I mean really, I'm taking yours as rhetorical questions. You know why people do this shit, you're just lamenting the fact that they do.

 

[CritialGaming]

This isn't a "who gives a shit" post. It's a "why do people flip their shit over this" post.

I think there is some valid shit flipping (the good kind of shit flipping, namely stuff like "Yay!") for the LGBT community, to be able to see a prominent character that represents them to some degree. Which I can understand, people like to have someone similar to them to root for in stories. I know personally, if a character happens to have my name, which is rare in entertainment, I automatically empathize with him more, and want him to succeed and thrive. So I can appreciate the "I can root for a lesbian just like me!" kind of human reaction to similarity.

Beyond that though, I don't really care. Whatever her orientation is, is irrelevant to me personally. I don't care if she is gay, or bi, or straight. It's a fictional character, and her "official" orientation isn't going to impact anything at all, certainly not all the porn that is already out there, including her with everyone under the sun. They didn't care before, they sure won't care now, and will continue to have her pounded by whatever fetish they are indulging.

The comics can do whatever they want, as it's apparently independent from the game in every way that matters. So, yeah this reveal doesn't impact that game, doesn't really impact anything, other than to provide a demographic a character that is someone they can "officially" root for as being representative of them. And that's fine in my book.

I stand by my statement of "If race/gender/sexuality/orientation don't matter, then it doesn't matter, and I don't really care what she is. As to why I don't care, see the first sentence of this statement." Whether she likes the cock, or enjoys muff diving with the best of them, she's still a fun, energetic, cheerful, optimistic character, who brings a lot of energy and life to the pop culture aspect of the game. What she does in her off-time, and to whom, doesn't make one whit of difference to me. It doesn't make her line in that one movie when she's helping the boys in the museum "Don't worry luv, cavalry's here!" Any less fun and enjoyable for me. It doesn't make her grief over the assassination of that robot Ghandi by Widowmaker any less tragic. It just means that she's not into the cock. Whoopty do.

What if her girlfriend is trans? Or a hermaphrodite? Technically she might still like the cock. Hell she could even be Bi-sexual. The comic reveals ultimately very little about her other than she likes that "girl" right now.

Which makes the shit flipping even more stupid because they are just assuming.

I don't understand this personally. I can understand being excited about a strong woman character, or ethnic character of any gender. But sexual preference is such an incredibly SMALL part of who a person is, I don't see why there is such a hubbub about it.

 

[Silvanus]

Yeah, why never bisexual? It's the best of both worlds, having your cake and eating it too.

As one myself, I can assure you the "having cake + eating it" prospect has been wildly exaggerated.

 

[DoPo]

-snip-

Your effort is appreciated but I release from the obligation to engage me in conversation.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

-snip-

Your effort is appreciated but I release from the obligation to engage me in conversation.

Very well sir. I bid thee good day.

 

[happyninja42]

What if her girlfriend is trans? Or a hermaphrodite? Technically she might still like the cock. Hell she could even be Bi-sexual. The comic reveals ultimately very little about her other than she likes that "girl" right now.

I'm going off the description here, which has been mostly using the term "lesbian" from what I've seen. Which, would by definition mean she isn't into cock. As that would be a bi-sexual. And sure, maybe she is, I don't know, and I don't care. But the term being used so far is "lesbian" and that has a very specific meaning. If it turns out, at a later date, that they further clarify it to being inclusive to men, then I'll stop using the term lesbian. For now though, that's what's being used, so I'm using it.

Which makes the shit flipping even more stupid because they are just assuming.

Kissing a woman, and establishing they have an intimate relationship isn't "assuming", it's working off some fairly specific, published information provided by the creators of the character. BEFORE this comic was published, they were assuming, now, it's less assumption.

I don't understand this personally. I can understand being excited about a strong woman character, or ethnic character of any gender. But sexual preference is such an incredibly SMALL part of who a person is, I don't see why there is such a hubbub about it.

Because there has been little to no positive representation of that demographic for a long time in entertainment, and most of the examples given have usually been support characters who just pop in to say something funny and gay, while the straight main characters do their thing. Or they are so stereotypical LGBT that it hurts the brain. Or they just misrepresented in a lot of ways that make, the group who are being represented, wishing for something more realistic and indicative of who they actually are. Not just some "token queer" or whatever. A fully realized character, with depth and flaws, who also happens to be LGBT.

I think the thing is, or at least partly what bothers some people about this, is that the only way to firmly establish this one aspect of their life, is to show them being intimate with the person, in a way that can't be misconstrued as "projecting". "They're not gay! They're just good friends!" kind of rationalization. So you have them, on screen, clearly and obviously doing something that only an intimate couple would do in such a way. A deep passionate kiss, greeting them at the door in sexy clothing, both of them crawling out of bed in the morning, etc. And for some, this is "shoving their sexuality down our throats!" "Why did you have to show me that!?" Well, so there was no ambiguity about their orientation for one. Maybe it never comes back up again in so blatant a manner, but it has to be done at least once, to make it official.

And to your comment about someone's sexuality being a small part of their lives, that's not true for everyone. And even if it is a small part, it's still a part of their lives. And if it's ok to show that incredibly small part of a heterosexual's life, why not for an LGBT too?

But a name is such a small part of my life, it's just the set of sounds associated with me, that people use to get my attention. That still doesn't change the instinctive reaction I have when a character in a show has my name. I feel a more distinct connection to them than I would have if they were named something else. Nobody else might give a shit that his name is Wesley, but I do, and it invests me more in the story, and that character's involvement in it. So yeah, I can totally see why it matters to some people, to be able to have a role model, or if nothing more than a self-insert that more easily fits their headspace. It makes the entertainment that more enjoyable for them. And I'm fine with that. Her LGBT status doesn't detract any from my enjoyment of the character, because the character, as she is, is enjoyable. Her humor, her love of life and people, her enthusiasm for what she does, etc. That's why I like her, if she also happens to be lesbian, ok then, so what? Hell in a way that makes another thing for me to have in common with her, us both enjoying vaginas, but from different angles.

 

[CritialGaming]

If her girlfriend is a trans girl then Tracer is still a lesbian (or bi) because trans girls, even pre op ones, are still girls.

Sexuality might be a small part of straight peoples lives, but it works a little different for gay people. You can't just talk about gay stuff to anyone, cause this is still a deeply conservative country that only accepts us at arms length. So we have to surround ourselves with like minded people. We can't just pick up people at bars, because you never know if the person you're hitting on is a homophobic asshole who might hurt you. So you have to go to gay bars. You can't just hold your partners hand in public, because of the ignorant Christian thing, so you have to hang out with other gay people.

Agree wjth it or not, being gay, or bi, or trans, controls who you can hang out with, where you can hang out, and what you can do in public.

So yeah

Sexuality is a huge deal for not straight people.

And representation is nice.

I can kind of see that. But at the same time, aren't you letting your sexual preferences define who you are as a person?

I remember growing up there was a badass heavy metal singer named Rob Halford, the lead singer for Judas Priest. He was the coolest ************ on the planet to a lot of people. Nobody knew he was gay, and it didn't matter until it got revealed later. For 99% of his fame he was just badass Rob Halford and because he didn't announce it, (But looking back he DID flaunt the shit out of it) it was never labeled upon him because his sexuality didn't matter. When it did get revealed there was a bit of shock, but ultimate Judas Priest remained as popular and badass as any 80's metal band could remain in the late 90's and early 00's.

I think part of the resistance from "normal" folks is the behavior around it. Flamboyance, odd personality traits, that usually get tacked on with said sexualities. It isn't who you have sex with, it's the surrounding behavior. Rob Halford IMO proved that, by not acting out with his homosexuality he was able to maintain a world spotlight and that part of him ended up not mattering to people.

Maybe I'm just being stupid about it.

I apologize for my ignorance regarding this.

 

[happyninja42]

I think part of the resistance from "normal" folks is the behavior around it. Flamboyance, odd personality traits, that usually get tacked on with said sexualities. It isn't who you have sex with, it's the surrounding behavior. Rob Halford IMO proved that, by not acting out with his homosexuality he was able to maintain a world spotlight and that part of him ended up not mattering to people.

Maybe I'm just being stupid about it.

I apologize for my ignorance regarding this.

I think you are helping to prove the point though. You say the problem that a lot of people have with gayness is the "baggage" with it. The flamboyancy that is the stereotype, personality traits, etc. THAT is why showing people who are LGBT, who aren't like that is important. It helps to break the stereotype that all lesbians are Zarya looking dykes, and all gay guys are flamboyant pansy fairies like Hollywood Montrose from the Mannequin movies. Sure, some people DO fit that stereotype, but not all of them do. Some of them are "normal" in the lexicon of the straight concept of that. They just happen to like gettin nekked with people of their same gender, or whatever. THAT representation is what is under represented. So, having characters like Tracer, who are a fairly normal, 20ish girl who is a hyper, energetic, fun loving person, AND who also happens to be gay, is a big deal. It helps shift the accepted concept in the public eye to something that is just an "everyday person". She doesn't have to flaunt her sexuality, and from what I can tell, she doesn't.