It is 2026, and Jeff Kaplan, the previous boss of Blizzard hero shooter Overwatch, continues to be being requested about a supposed “nerf” to Tracer’s butt.
Solid your minds again to the easier occasions of 2016, when the world was quieter and greener, and Overwatch was nonetheless in beta. Amid a frenzy of pleasure for Blizzard’s subsequent large franchise, one large controversy stood out that soured some followers on the sport’s promise: Blizzard’s resolution to change a pose centered on lead character Tracer’s backside.
Blizzard made the decision again in March 2016 to regulate the Tracer’s “Over the Shoulder” victory pose, after the character’s considerably suggestive positioning drew hearth from gamers. Their critique — one which Kaplan finally mentioned he agreed with — was that it decreased Tracer “to a different bland feminine intercourse image.”
After some debate, Kaplan confirmed the pose can be modified — and inside a week it was performed, changing its preliminary look with a alternative “Over the Shoulder” pose that gave followers extra of a side-on view.
Maybe predictably, Blizzard’s resolution to make the change additionally drew hearth — this time from gamers who mentioned the corporate had caved to “SJW” complaints. (Do not forget that acronym?) And now, 10 years on, with Kaplan lengthy gone from Blizzard and busy selling his subsequent sport, it appears this resolution continues to be a bugbear for some.
“‘Why did you guys nerf Tracer’s butt?'” Kaplan says, studying out a viewer query whereas taking part in his in-development cowboy survival shooter The Legend of California. “Uh, we truly did not nerf Tracer’s butt. It stayed precisely the identical.
“That was a good riposte I simply had,” he then added.
As Kaplan seeks to generate curiosity in his new sport, the previous Blizzard icon has been making headlines, firstly with a tell-all interview through which he mentioned why he left Blizzard after practically 20 years — a resolution he blamed on excessive monetary pressures to ship for Activision Blizzard, or be held personally accountable for 1,000 individuals shedding their jobs.
Subsequent, Kaplan issued some alternative phrases of recommendation to online game followers who wish to criticize titles they’re by no means going to play themselves. “If a sport comes out, and you do not need to play it, and you’ve got by no means performed it? Shut the f*** up. Nobody cares,” he said, once more whereas streaming The Legend of California.
As for Overwatch, the sport continues to answer fan suggestions over the design and presentation of its characters. Simply this week, Blizzard revealed the brand new search for its hero Anran, which it mentioned “moved away from that child face” design that gamers — and the character’s voice actress — had beforehand critiqued.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You may attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social