Famous Overwatch character Jesse McCree has officially changed his name to Cole Cassidy. Cowboy was originally named after the Blizzard developer who came under fire earlier this year for sexual misconduct.
Earlier this year, game developer Activision Blizzard grabbed headlines over a lawsuit against the developer for alleged sexual harassment and discrimination. The company has investigated workplace abuses in recent months and has already fired dozens of employees.
The cowboy character is named after Blizzard developer Jesse McCree who was fired in August for his role in the Activision Blizzard scandal. In a statement, Team Overwatch said the game was originally created with inclusivity and equality in mind, and therefore the team feels it is necessary to change McCree’s name.
Many Overwatch players have already expressed their displeasure with the use of the old name, and some Overwatch League hunters refused to say the character’s name out loud during the broadcast.
Cole Cassidy will be officially introduced to Overwatch on October 26, and according to the team, there will also be a new Cowboy Story.
No more real names
The name change is just one part of a larger plan to remove references to the former Blizzard Entertainment employees named in the lawsuit. The Overwatch team also says that in the sequel the characters will not be named after real employees to prevent future scandals.
Unlimited free access to Showbytes? And that can!
Log in or create an account and never miss any of the stars.
