Amid criticism that new Overwatch hero Anran appears to be like an excessive amount of like different feminine heroes and never sufficient like her personal earlier look in an animated brief, Blizzard has dedicated to updating the hero’s look throughout Season 1.
Overwatch sport director Aaron Keller introduced the upcoming change in a video on social media, saying that the group is presently planning find out how to make Anran “feel and look extra just like the fierce older sister that all of us envision her to be.” Whereas he says the group is happy with the work that has gone into the hero, “we agree that she could be even higher if we get this side of her proper in sport.”
Keller provides that this alteration has been in dialogue internally since final week, however that the group “wished to attend till we had affirmation of precisely what we are able to do.” For now, there are few particulars on what modifications will likely be made and when they are going to be dwell in sport, although Keller says that the studio hopes to have the ability to make this replace throughout Season 1.
Overwatch Highlight reception and an Anran replace from Recreation Director Aaron Keller pic.twitter.com/mxh0C0IpIj
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 10, 2026
Anran is one in all 5 new characters being added to Overwatch with Season 1, which additionally serves as a mushy reboot for the sport previously generally known as Overwatch 2. The hearth-themed damage-dealer is the older sister of Season 18 hero Wuyang, and was first depicted in a cinematic final yr introducing her brother. When Anran’s in-game mannequin was revealed to have a a lot cuter face than her animated type, resembling current heroes like Juno or Kiriko, followers criticised the “identical face” design. Even Anran’s voice actor, Fareeha, joined in calls to revamp Anran to higher match her earlier look as Wuyang’s older sister.
Blizzard has additionally fended off accusations that Overwatch’s character designs have been getting sexier and fewer numerous over time, claiming that the transfer in direction of tall, longer-limbed characters is extra a matter of technical ease than aesthetic alternative.
Overwatch Season 1 will deliver numerous modifications to the sport when it launches on February 10, and followers are hopeful that it’s a step in the proper course for the basic hero shooter. Many are taking the Anran announcement as a constructive signal that Blizzard is keen to hearken to group suggestions, taking a step in direction of restoring Overwatch to its former glory.