The new name for the Overwatch character formerly known as Jesse McCree has now been revealed by Blizzard, and the new name is Cole Cassidy. The official renaming will take effect in-game on October 26.
in their official announcement, the game developer appears to have been acknowledging the fact that Cassidy’s name change is part of the game’s lore, and the studio referred to Cassidy as a character “running from his past” and ultimately choosing to “be honest with his team and himself” about who he is.
The renaming was initially announced to the public in August, as the character was formerly named after Blizzard employee Jesse McCree.
As we all know that McCree has exited earlier in August alongside others amid ongoing allegations of harassment and abuse at the company.
“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.”
Blizzard has since removed several other inappropriate references from World of Warcraft and has also undertaken the renaming of the other characters who were named after similarly-departed developers.
These moves are a response to a lawsuit filed in early August by the state of California. The lawsuit accuses Activision Blizzard of fostering a “frat boy” culture which includes horrific deeds such as sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, and unequal pay between men and women.
Activision Blizzard is currently facing serious ongoing allegations of harassment and mistreatment of marginalized workers.
