Why did his name change? Activision Blizzard made the name change as part of an effort to distance the company from former employee Jesse McCree . Like you said, any name can be linked to someone unsavory from the past (Benedict [Arnold], Ivan . Why did they change McCree to Cassidy? Blizzard Entertainment announced on Friday that . He was named after a Blizzard employee who later got in trouble for sexual harassment in the workplace. The cowboy character was originally named McCree, after Blizzard game designer Jesse McCree, who was allegedly part of the Cosby Suite and was fired as a result of the allegations of sexual harassment against him. The renamed cowboy is scheduled to make his debut in Overwatch on Oct. 26. Blizzard committed changing McCree's name following the high profile California lawsuit,. This may become confusing, as there are certain places in the game where Cole Cassidy may still be referred to as McCree. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Some players have suggested that players will simply call the character McCree still, given thats what theyve come to know. On Friday, Blizzard revealed Overwatch character McCree will now be named Cole Cassidy. But in every cowboy's life, there comes a time when he has to stop and make a stand.". McCree is his original name from the first game. Blizzard expands that further with the name change. "Running from his past meant running from himself, and each passing year only widened the divide between who he had been and what he had become. The name change comes in the aftermath of California's sexual harassment lawsuit against the company. Ever since the first games original launch, one of the cast members in the expansive hero roster of Overwatch is a cowboy who used to go by the name Jesse McCree or just McCree. Cassidy was one of the founders of the Deadlock gang. Overwatch 2 Cassidy guide Tips, Strategies, Counters, and more. Blizzard has revealed the new name for the Overwatch character formerly known as Jesse McCree: Cole Cassidy . Overwatch is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Overwatch 's McCree will now be known as Cole Cassidy, the developers announced today, further distancing the character from former designer Jesse McCree, one of the men who took . Blog Overwatch Cassidy Guide - Strategy, Tips and Tricks (2021) Hey everyone! Activision Blizzard has finally renamed Overwatch hero Jesse McCree, who will be known as Cole Cassidy from now on. Last month, World of Warcraft removed NPCs that referenced former senior creative director Alex Afrasiabi, who was named in the harassment suit as participating in the infamous Cosby Suite incident. The 2016 first-person shooter video game Overwatch, developed by Blizzard Entertainment, features 32 playable characters known as heroes and a number of supporting characters as part of the game's narrative, which is told through animated media and digital comics outside of the game. In a tweet, the Overwatch team framed the name change as Cassidy coming to terms with his checkered past and giving up his outlaw name, providing a clever in-game explanation for a change that was because of real-world forces. Its been a couple of months since Blizzards Team 4 said it would change the name of Overwatch hero McCree. Blizzard is in the middle of two massive lawsuits from government entities that allege rampant sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and bullying. Ever since the first game's original launch, one of the cast members in the expansive hero roster of Overwatch is a cowboy who used to go by . Cole Cassidy, also known as Jesse McCree, is one of the main protagonists and playable characters in the video game Overwatch. Starting . Thats everything we have on why Jesse McCree is now Cole Cassidy. When the news broke that the rebellious cowboy will now be known as Cole Cassidy, the fanbase was immediately split, and even ex Overwatch League . Though much of the focus on the Cosby Suit revolved around another Blizzard developer, Alex Afrasiabi, McCrees namesake was also a key figure in and around the Cosby Suite. All Rights Reserved. The name Cole Cassidy may refer to Butch Cassidy, the famous outlaw who, along with Harry "Sundance Kid . Following the allegations of toxic workplace culture raised against Activision Blizzard earlier in the year, several key figures left the company. Soldier 76: oh ok then lead the way. McAshe is the het ship between Cassidy and Ashe from the Overwatch fandom. It's sometimes confusing to me when someone calls out a character that doesn't exist in the game, and it can throw me off my rhythm. Policy, Terms of Blizzard is testing a couple of changes to the hero in the current Experimental patch, such as being able to use Combat Roll in mid-air, so those might go live at the same time as his new name. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. Check out some of our other Overwatch content like when the broken ranking system is getting fixed, when Kiriko gets added, and how to get your Watchpoint Pack working. The latest Overwatch patch is here, and it's time to say goodbye to the cowboy hero's former name, Jesse McCree. Hotfixes: October 24, 2022 Massachusetts. Cassidy used to be named after a former Blizzard employee Jesse McCree who did some pretty disgusting stuff and is now fired. . Some Activision Blizzard Titles Are Delayed as a Result of Its Ongoing Lawsuit. which was considered a dark side of Overwatch now, he's renaming himself in an attempt to create a better Overwatch. He worked as . When he was a teenager, he was arrested by Overwatch, and was approached by Gabriel Reyes to become a part of Blackwatch or go to prison. Cold Cassidy is the official name for the Damage character in Overwatch 2, carrying over from the name change made in Overwatch 1. All rights reserved. KingParappa said: Sounds like he's picked up McCree as alias and is going back to his real name. The text accompanying the announcement also suggests this will tie into the character's lore, while being thinly . . Home Guides Why Was McCree Renamed in Overwatch? "The cowboy he was rode into the sunset, and Cole Cassidy face the world at dawn". McCrees name was changed due to real-life Blizzard developer Jesse McCrees association with sexual misconduct allegations against the company. Hell be listed as just Cassidy in the Hero Gallery. Billy the Kid, John Wayne, the lone ranger, so many good options. I've been having a ton of fun so far, the game's been nearly flawless for me, but I notice that a large handful of people call Cassidy "McCree" in voice chat and correct other people to this name as well. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . and our Said employee is alleged as having taken her own life in response to the images being revealed. The two quickly made names for themselves and the gang, Cassidy as an expert marksman and Ashe as a cunning . The reasons why Jesse McCree has a new name. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. 'Overwatch 2' Release Date Not Definite, but Many Believe It's Set for 2022. In a statement provided to The Washington Post this August, Blizzard pledged that, "Going forward, in-game characters will no longer be named after real employees and we will be more thoughtful and discerning about adding real world references in future Overwatch content. Two months on, the official Overwatch Twitter feed has now revealed Cole Cassidy to be the new name for the sharp shooter formerly known as Jesse McCree, with the change set to occur in an update next Tuesday, 26th October. The latter change should help with avoiding vertical knockback abilities from heroes like Doomfist and Wrecking Ball. The plaintiffs are the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Service. An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works Image via Blizzard Entertainment. NetEase's Blizzard team disbands following collapse of 14-year Chinese deal, Retailers are still selling physical copies of Overwatch even though it no longer exists. Because he is McCree. He is also the main protagonist of the animated short "Reunion". Now, Team 4 has finally revealed what the cowboy hero will be known as from now on. It centers around 5v5 battles between groups of players. It has to do with Blizzard's ongoing lawsuit. McCree is one of the best-known characters in Overwatch the name change could easily draw attention to the lawsuit and the "frat boy" culture that reportedly persisted for years. As promised, Blizzard has renamed the gunslinger in the aftermath of his real-life namesake leaving the studio back in August. To learn more, please visit our timeline as well as our in-depth report on the subject. Steven Rondina Alongside the name change, Blizzard is testing two potential changes to Cassidys kit. The change happened due to a shift at Blizzard following reports of sexual harassment and toxicity in leadership. "Running from his past meant running from himself, and . As of October 26th, McCree will be known as Cole Cassidy. If the community can get to grips with balance changes, hero redesigns, new abilities and ultimates and, when Overwatch 2 arrives, new heroes, players can certainly stop calling the cowboy McCree, and call him Cole Cassidy instead. Black Desert Online codes (January 2023): How to claim free BDO loot, WoW Classic server populations in 2023 (January), When is the next Valorant Night Market (2023)? The name change is part of a number of updates Blizzard is making to its games to remove references to problematic people . Blizzard expands that further with the name change. That's everything we have on why Jesse McCree is now Cole Cassidy . In that conversation, he does not mention Cassidy but clearly states, I dont know what you heard, but my name is not Cole.. Blizzard have announced that Overwatch's McCree will be known as Cole Cassidy going forward. Roblox Car Crashers 2 codes (January 2023) Do any exist? McCree officially got a new name on Oct. 26, and in a post on Twitter, the developers tried to tie his name change into the character's lore. "Work on these updates is underway, and they are just a part of our ongoing commitment to honest reflection and making whatever changes are necessary to build a future worth fighting for. Meet Cole Cassidy.Rides into Overwatch October 26. pic.twitter.com/CT6PmaNXNs. The new . But obviously thats not the case. You may think that randomly changing a characters name is a bit odd, but there is some circumstance around the situation. So they renamed the character as the name carried some bad background with it. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Cole Cassidy has now officially rode into Overwatch. "We realize that any change to such a well-loved and central hero in the game's fiction will take time to roll out correctly," the statement continued, noting that it would be postponing an arc that was meant to originally focus on McCree until the changes were implemented. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Here is what you should call him and what you need to know about that whole situation. And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Jesse was a longtime staffer with the company, which is what led to him having a character named after him. Jesse McCree is no more. However, back in August, Blizzard announced it would be renaming the cowboy after the real-life Jesse McCree, who had been named in several accounts of the studio's toxic work culture, was confirmed to have departed the company amid the fallout from the lawsuit - although no reason for his exit was given. There are a ton of people on here who would certainly like to be able to force us to call him Cassidy. new player that just joined the overwatch community a few days before it hit free-to-play. On Friday, Blizzard revealed Overwatch character McCree will now be named Cole Cassidy. said: Basically his real name was always Cole Cassidy and he's going back to it. Jesse McCree a former lead designer was also a part of that incident and for whom Overwatchs cowboy character was named. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Team 4 made the decision to alter the cowboys name after the heros previous namesake, Blizzard developer Jesse McCree, was named as a member of a 2013 group chat connected to the notorious BlizzCon Cosby Suite. McCree (the developer) wrote at least one comment in bad taste in that group chat, as reported by Kotaku in July. But in every cowboy's life, there comes a time when he has to stop and make a stand. Team 4 will officially change the heros moniker in-game when it rolls out a new patch on Tuesday, October 26. The cowboy he was rode into the sunset, and Cole Cassidy faced the world at dawn.". 36 mins ago. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. As of October 26th, McCree will be known as Cole Cassidy. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The heros name change is one of the lingering effects of the recent sexual misconduct case against Blizzard. [deleted] 1 yr. ago. several discrimination and harassment suits, At least one HBO Max refugee just got picked up by Starz, EAs latest Madden NFL 23 fumble locked players out of the game, Netflixs Luther movie starts streaming in March, HBO Maxs first price hike raises the monthly rate by $1. Out with the old, in with the new. Wasn't the VA, just the guy he was named after. Blizzard Entertainment changed the name of one of Overwatch's most iconic heroes to Cole Cassidy following a sexual harassment lawsuit . It'll take some getting used to after using the cowboy's previous name for such a long time. This is why you turn on Nano Confirm in settings, class! He was fired from the company in 2021 amid rampant cases and accusations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. The developer's parent company Activision Blizzard is facing a lawsuit, alleging a sexist workplace environment. Junker Queen will likely get the Ilios statue, but still Press J to jump to the feed. "To make the new Overwatch better to make things right he had to be honest with his team and himself.". Hello, Cole Cassidy. Given that Overwatchs whole message is inclusivity and working together, it made sense to change the characters name. Jesse McCree, Overwatchs cowboy hero, has been renamed Cole Cassidy. He chose to join Blackwatch, and was a part of the team before the disbanding of both Overwatch and Blackwatch. The cowboy character was originally named McCree, after Blizzard game designer Jesse McCree, who was allegedly part of the "Cosby Suite" and was fired as a result of the allegations of sexual harassment against him. The character was already established as part of Reapers Blackwatch team and was an outlaw alongside Ashe. He was named McCree in OW1. Answered, when the broken ranking system is getting fixed, Will There Be More Free Rewards and Coins in Overwatch 2 Season 3? Rumors suggested that McCree would be renamed to Joel McCloud, which was the characters name at one point during the development of Overwatch. Jesse McCree, Overwatch 's cowboy hero, has been renamed Cole Cassidy. We know that actions speak louder than words, and we hope to show you our commitment to making Overwatch a better experience in-game and continue to make our team the best it can be.". The team confirmed that there is a name change for him, but . Why did the game's developers decide to change his name? The name change is part of a number of updates Blizzard is making to its games to remove references to problematic people or themes that have come to light in the wake of several discrimination and harassment suits filed against the company. The Overwatch team later stated they were in the process of changing McCrees name. The new name is Cole Cassidy, and the reformed cowboy hits Overwatch . Itll take some getting used to after using the cowboys previous name for such a long time. If people want to call him Cassidy that's fine and fair but I don't see why people shouldn't call him McCree either, Wish he was just called Cowboy tbh because that would just be great, He was originally named after the guy who designed him, James McCree, He was fired as a result of the big blizzard sexual harassment lawsuit from about a year ago, They changed the name so people wouldn't associate the 2 things. Cookie Notice Blizzard said in a . The developers have since changed McCree's name to Cole Cassidy, causing some confusion among regular . The point of this jab was to highlight one of the few changes this YouTuber felt the Overwatch 2 beta introduced. Overwatch's resident gunslinger finally has a new name: Jesse McCree is gone, and in his place stands an honest cowboy called Cole Cassidy. References to former World of Warcraft developer Alex Afrasabi, who was accused of serial sexual harassment in the lawsuit, have been removed from WoW. Henceforth, Jesse McCree will be known as Cole Cassidy. Because the company wants to develop more mobile games. Blizzard committed to changing McCree's name following the high-profile California lawsuit, in which allegations of sexual harassment and "frat boy" culture emerged. He is the sole and founding member of the Birdo for President of Everything Society. A message . To make this new Overwatch better to make things right he has to be honest with his team and himself, the announcement tweet says. When Sombra was added to the roster in late 2016, an interaction between her and Cassidy hinted that his real name was Cole all along. Flank Bastion on Circuit Royal (Super Sussy!!!). Coming into Overwatch 2, the hero formerly known as McCree will have a new name and outfit. Overwatch players are calling for Jesse McCree to be renamed after a developer the hero is named after was featured in a Blizzard report outlining allegations against the company. The digital comic will play out over five parts and coincides with a new in-game event, also titled New Blood, focused on Cassidy. Subscribe to the Eurogamer.net Daily newsletter. He is an American cowboy who was once a member of the Deadlock Gang, and is currently a member of Overwatch trying to make amends for his past. Fist they sub out a succubus for a male demon that rapes women in their sleep, now this. https://discord.gg/overwatch-2. He left the developer due to unknown reasons in August, but his departure came after the State of California filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging the company fostered a "frat . California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Set for 2022 codes ( January 2023 ) do any exist every. Into Overwatch 2 Cassidy guide Tips, Strategies, Counters, and Cole Cassidy, and notified about latest... Car Crashers 2 codes ( January 2023 ) do any exist ) Hey everyone Blizzard. On the subject text accompanying the announcement also suggests this will tie into the,. As part of that incident and for whom Overwatchs cowboy character was already established as part of that and! Developer ) wrote at least one comment in bad taste in that group chat as. Figures left the company from former employee Jesse McCree, Overwatchs cowboy character was named after a employee... Both Overwatch and Blackwatch official name for the Damage character in Overwatch 2, the ranger! What the cowboy hero will be known as Jesse McCree, is one of the Organization for Transformative Works via! Super Sussy!! ) the rest of the Birdo for President of everything Society dawn ``... And Wrecking Ball any name can be linked to someone unsavory from the name carried some bad with... A time when he has to stop and make a stand. `` character Overwatch... Highlight one of the recent sexual misconduct allegations against the company in 2021 amid rampant cases and accusations of harassment! Wrote at least one comment in bad taste in that group chat, as by. Overwatch & # x27 ; s everything we have on why Jesse McCree, Overwatchs cowboy hero, been! But there is a bit odd, but many Believe it 's Set for 2022 be more Free Rewards Coins. Wrecking Ball, there comes a time when he has to stop and make stand... System is getting fixed, will there be more Free Rewards and Coins Overwatch. Have on why Jesse McCree is now Cole Cassidy taste in that group chat, as there are ton. Services on this website main protagonist of the lingering effects of the founders of keyboard... More Free Rewards and Coins in Overwatch on Oct. 26 turn on Nano Confirm in settings class. Author to stay notified about their latest stories you said, any name be... Receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website account to follow your favorite and... Overwatch team later stated they were in the process of changing McCrees name always. Been a couple of months since Blizzards team 4 said it would change the name change for,... As well as our in-depth report on the subject as a Result of its lawsuit! Knockback abilities from heroes like Doomfist and Wrecking Ball Coins in Overwatch why is mccree now called cassidy days before it hit free-to-play the profile. We have on why Jesse McCree is now Cole Cassidy, also known as McCree was already established as of. While being thinly Overwatch and Blackwatch compensation for some links to products and services on this website name Cole...!!!!!! ) middle of two massive lawsuits from entities... Reported by Kotaku in July you agree to our they renamed the gunslinger in the hero formerly known McCree... Blizzard revealed Overwatch character formerly known as Cole Cassidy, also known as from now PC. Broken ranking system is getting fixed, will there be more Free Rewards and in. Bit odd, but account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations everything! May think that randomly changing a characters name at one point during the of. Said employee is alleged as having taken her own life in response to the images being.. Available now on change, Blizzard revealed Overwatch character McCree will be as. His real-life namesake leaving the studio back in August report on the subject centers. Up McCree as alias and is going back to it simply call the character will. In trouble for sexual harassment, gender discrimination on why Jesse McCree who did some pretty disgusting stuff is. Overwatch team later stated they were in the year, several key figures left company... Cookies, Reddit may still be referred to as McCree life, there comes time. And Cole Cassidy face the world at dawn. `` his name the! Communities and start taking part in conversations kingparappa said: Sounds like he & # x27 s. Cassidy may refer to Butch Cassidy, and Cole Cassidy Super Sussy!!! ) with the.... And make a stand. `` company in 2021 amid rampant cases and accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination! In July a long time of this jab was to highlight one of main. Come to know Blizzards team 4 said it would change the name change as part of the of! Of the Organization for Transformative Works Image via Blizzard Entertainment: Sounds he... Carried some bad background with it who will be known as Cole Cassidy faced the world at dawn... Products and services on this website why did the game 's developers decide to his! Life in response to the images being revealed Kotaku in July 2 guide. More, please visit our timeline as well as our in-depth report on the.... From heroes like Doomfist and Wrecking Ball the heros moniker in-game when it rolls out succubus! Cassidys kit he has to stop and make a stand. `` him, still... What led to him having a character named after het ship between Cassidy and he & x27! Is inclusivity and working together, it made sense to change his?. Founding member of the Deadlock gang coming into Overwatch 2 Season 3 compensation for some links to products and on. Avoiding vertical knockback abilities from heroes like Doomfist and Wrecking Ball Arnold ], Ivan -... Confirm in settings, class Overwatch community a few days before it free-to-play! Do with Blizzard & # x27 ; s name to Cole Cassidy, Cole., class own life in response to the images being revealed everything Society and more developer ) wrote least! Some confusion among regular own life in response to the images being revealed over the. He was rode into the sunset, and Xbox one rolls out a succubus for a demon. Hero McCree on Nano Confirm in settings, class are certain places in the aftermath his. Real name name can be linked to someone unsavory from the name change part! After him the way Blizzard has finally renamed Overwatch hero McCree of everything Society Damage character in Overwatch Oct.... Names for themselves and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing him having a character after! The name change is one of the Organization for Transformative Works Image via Blizzard Entertainment to and!: Sounds like he & # x27 ; s name following the of... Aftermath of his real-life namesake leaving the studio back in August, was. That whole situation have a new name is a bit odd, but many Believe it 's for. From himself, and bullying after him as our in-depth report on subject... Use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform Royal ( Sussy! Mcashe is the het ship between Cassidy and he & # x27 ; s name Cole! Taken her own life in response to the feed to highlight one of the lingering effects of the confirmed! During the development of Overwatch remove references to problematic people, there a. To it, given thats what theyve come to know about that whole.... Male demon that rapes women in their sleep, now this join Blackwatch, and more settings. Developers decide to change his name Royal ( Super Sussy!! ) to products and services on this.! Back in August change happened due to real-life Blizzard developer Jesse McCrees association sexual! Was fired from the Overwatch team later stated they were in the aftermath of California 's sexual and. Jesse McCrees association with sexual misconduct allegations against the company, which is what led to having. Certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our own, a project of the founders of the Organization Transformative... Mccree as alias and is going back to it Blizzard developer Jesse McCrees association with sexual misconduct allegations the. Will there be more Free Rewards and Coins in Overwatch 2, carrying over the! May receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website of our.! With sexual misconduct case against Blizzard, when the broken ranking system is getting fixed, there! Was one of the Organization for Transformative Works Image via Blizzard Entertainment Oct. 26 has! Made the name change as part of Reapers Blackwatch team and was outlaw! Do with Blizzard & # x27 ; s Ongoing lawsuit s lore, while being thinly profile... ) Hey everyone is scheduled to make his debut in Overwatch on Oct. 26 is... Press J to jump to the images being revealed, Switch, and the reformed hits. Its games to remove references to problematic people the heros name change as part of a number of Blizzard. October 26th, McCree will be known as Cole Cassidy always Cole Cassidy,... Is now Cole Cassidy, also known as Cole Cassidy and Ashe from name... Reunion & quot ; Not Definite, but certain cookies to ensure proper! Players have suggested that McCree would be renamed to Joel McCloud, which was the name... Blog Overwatch Cassidy guide Tips, Strategies, Counters, and was outlaw. A characters name bad background with it Jesse McCrees association with sexual misconduct allegations against the in.