Blizzard vows to redesign Overwatch’s latest character, Anran, after backlash

Blizzard has confirmed it is planning a visual redesign for new Overwatch hero Anran, following widespread criticism from players and a public call for change from the character’s voice actor.

The details:

• Overwatch game director Aaron Keller said the team is working on changing Anran’s character model after fans criticized the hero for not only resembling other characters from the game but also due to her appearance not matching up with her portrayal in a previously released cinematic. Anran was first teased alongside her brother Wuyang in the “Elemental Kin” cinematic, where she was presented as an older, more imposing figure.
• The controversy escalated when Anran’s English voice actor, streamer Fareeha Andersen, said she had to “mourn” the version of the character she had hoped for. The actor argued that the original concept promised to challenge the “Ozempic chic” beauty standards in today’s society and that fans were understandably let down by the in-game version of Anran’s model.
• Keller stated that Blizzard hopes to roll out the update during the first season of the recently revamped Overwatch after the game dropped the “2” from its title. However, he warned that hero models are “incredibly complicated” and that the studio needs time to test what changes are technically feasible before confirming a precise release date.